Honeymoon Over: Alonso Faces Harsh Reality at Real Madrid
Xabi Alonso got a rude awakening in his first major test as Real Madrid boss – and now he’s got serious work to do before the new season kicks off.
The Spanish legend arrived at the Bernabeu to huge fanfare in May after his incredible title-winning campaign with Bayer Leverkusen. Real fans were buzzing after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure to Brazil, expecting Alonso to work his magic again.
But that honeymoon feeling didn’t last long. A brutal 4-0 hammering by PSG in the Club World Cup semi-final has left the 43-year-old scratching his head and facing some tough questions ahead of their LaLiga opener against Osasuna on August 19.
What Went Wrong Against PSG?
Alonso had been doing everything right up until that PSG disaster. His side went unbeaten all the way to the semis, even without Kylian Mbappe who was sidelined with illness for most of the tournament.
The turning point? A tactical gamble that backfired spectacularly. Alonso ditched the five-man defence that had been working brilliantly and paid the price against PSG’s lightning-fast counter-attacks.
The system switch was meant to get both Mbappe and rising star Gonzalo into the team together, but it left Real completely exposed at the back. PSG tore them apart.
The Tactical Revolution That Almost Worked
Before that nightmare in Paris, Alonso had Real fans dreaming. He brought back a five-man defence – something the club hadn’t used properly for over 25 years since Vicente del Bosque’s Champions League winners in 2000.
Three centre-backs with flying wing-backs was a massive change from Real’s traditional 4-3-3 setup. And it was working a treat, finally sorting out the defensive mess that saw them concede 16 goals in four straight losses to Barcelona last season.
That trophyless 2024-25 campaign was a disaster, and Alonso’s new system looked like the answer to their problems.
New Signings to the Rescue?
The good news for Alonso? He’s got some serious new talent to work with. Trent Alexander-Arnold has arrived from Liverpool, while Spain defender Dean Huijsen joined from Bournemouth after Real triggered his £50million release clause.
Spanish left-back Alvaro Carrera also moved from Benfica for £58million, giving Alonso plenty of options to rebuild his defence.
The Mbappe-Vinicius Puzzle
Up front, there’s still a big question mark over how Mbappe and Vinicius Jr will gel together. They haven’t clicked yet, and that’s a problem that needs solving fast.
Meanwhile, academy kid Gonzalo has gone from complete unknown to fan favourite after his brilliant Club World Cup displays. The youngster could end up pushing out big-money signings like Rodrygo, Endrick and Brahim Diaz.
Keeping everyone happy in that squad won’t be easy for Alonso.
Bellingham Blow
To make matters worse, Alonso will have to cope without England star Jude Bellingham for several weeks. The midfielder had shoulder surgery in July and won’t be ready for the season start.
The Big Question
So what now for Alonso? Does he go back to that five-man defence that worked so well before the PSG mauling? Or does he try something completely different?
One thing’s for sure – the pressure is on. Barcelona are looking dangerous going forward, and Real can’t afford another slow start to the season.
The honeymoon is definitely over. Now it’s time for Alonso to prove he’s got what it takes to succeed at the biggest club in the world.