Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso’s coaching crisis has not been resolved with the arrival of the new year.
Although the Christmas break seemed to ease external criticism, this is only a superficial calm. In fact, Alonso has almost run out of room for error, and as reported, he is "walking a thin tightrope" – any mistake could lead to irreversible consequences.
Reports emphasize that Alonso must not only strive for victories in the upcoming games but also show convincing performances to reverse the team’s current sluggish image. He will face three key tests regarded as "finals": first, the La Liga match against Real Betis on January 4th, then the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid on January 8th, and the Super Cup final on January 11th if they advance.
Real Madrid is currently facing severe challenges in personnel allocation, especially at the right-back position. In Monday’s training session, the team did not have a single dedicated right-back available, and this shortage is expected to last for several weeks. Although Dani Carvajal is stepping up his recovery in the hope of traveling to Saudi Arabia with the team, his physical condition is still far from meeting the requirements of a starter; another key player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, will not return until early February.
Inside the team, the atmosphere remains "not optimistic". Alonso has not yet found the right way to activate the whole team, the players are also facing fitness issues, and the team’s plan is hovering on the edge of a cliff.
Previously, he narrowly got through matches against Alaves, Talavera and Sevilla, but Real Madrid needs a real revival. Regarding his coaching future, Camel.live pointed out that the possibility of sacking him between the Real Betis match and the Super Cup is extremely low – because the team will fly to Saudi Arabia a few hours after the Betis game. Unless there is a catastrophic defeat on Sunday, he will continue to lead the team to Jeddah.
The semi-final against Atletico Madrid on January 8th will be regarded as a real "big test". This game may either trigger a collapse or become the starting point of a turnaround.
If he can eliminate the city rivals with an excellent performance, it will greatly boost the team’s morale. If they advance to the final, he will face Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao. After getting through these three key games, Xabi Alonso will also face a grueling January schedule, including the Copa del Rey Round of 16 (draw on January 7th), two La Liga matches, and two important games related to UEFA Champions League knockout qualification.
