After beginning their La Liga campaign confidently, Madrid have faltered recently, recording three consecutive draws, including a 1-1 result against Girona on Sunday. ..Continue Reading
Those missed opportunities cost them their place at the top of the table, allowing defending champions Barcelona to move ahead and placing added scrutiny on Alonso, who took over in June.
Before Wednesday’s away clash with Athletic Club in Bilbao, Alonso stated that he had ‘positive’ discussions with club president Florentino Perez about improving their form.
However, as displays continue to decline, reports indicate rising unease within the Real Madrid squad.
Spanish radio programme El Partidazo de COPE claims that as many as six players are “unhappy” with how Alonso is running the team.
The group is said to include Fede Valverde, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy.
The same report states that Eduardo Camavinga is ‘confused’ about his position in the team, as he has been playing fewer minutes than expected.
Vinicius Jr is described as the most high-profile player feeling dissatisfied with Alonso.
The winger has had difficulty adjusting to a reduced attacking role this season, with Kylian Mbappé taking centre stage.
Mbappé is currently among Europe’s standout performers, having netted 23 goals in 19 matches for Real Madrid this season.
In contrast, Vinicius has scored only five in the same number of appearances.
Although his output has dipped compared with previous seasons, the Brazilian remains one of the most valuable footballers on the planet.
His deal at the Bernabéu runs through the summer of 2027, and Madrid began talks with his representatives at the end of last season.
According to The Athletic, he was offered £17.5 million annually, though his camp is pushing for closer to £26 million.
The outlet also claimed that Vinicius has no plans to agree a new contract while his relationship with Alonso continues to be strained.
Even so, Cope reports that another faction of players still strongly back the manager.
This group consists of Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler and Mbappé.
Huijsen and Carreras were both brought in over the summer as part of Madrid’s reworked defensive setup, while Courtois, Guler and Mbappé have become key performers early in Alonso’s reign.
The stance of Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold remains uncertain, although recent stories suggested a tense dynamic involving Bellingham.
Alonso rejected those rumours, emphasising the need to support the midfielder in regaining top form before Wednesday’s fixture.
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