From being the Clasico kings to Girona draw specialists, is Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid honeymoon over?

Real Madrid kicked off the 2025/26 La Liga season under Xabi Alonso like a team on a mission, racking up wins and sitting pretty as favourites for every trophy going. After grinding out a key victory in El Clasico, they held a five-point lead at the top of the table, with Alonso’s tactics looking sharp and the squad firing on all cylinders.

But fast forward a couple of months, and the wheels have come off, only two wins in their last six matches across all competitions, including three straight league draws that have dropped them a point behind Barcelona.​ The Blaugrana increased the lead to four, having got the better of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night before Real Madrid beat Athletic Club on Wednesday.

That stumble against relegation-haunted Girona last weekend, ending 1-1 after Kylian Mbappe’s penalty salvaged a point, summed up the rot. Los Blancos dominated shots but couldn’t break down a stubborn defence, much like their goalless draw at Rayo Vallecano and the 2-2 at Elche before that.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have hit a stride under Hansi Flick, thrashing Atletico Madrid 3-1 to hit 37 points from 14 games, leaving Alonso’s side on 34 after the win over Athletic Club.

From Title Favourites to Stuttering Giants

Picture this: back in October, post-El Clasico, Real Madrid were untouchable. They had won pretty much everything thrown at them, with Kylian Mbappe chipping in goals for fun across competitions and Vinicius Junior pulling strings.

Alonso, the former midfield maestro turned boss, had the Santiago Bernabeu dreaming of a potential treble. Stats backed it up—perfect record early doors, top scorers, and a defence that rarely blinked.​

But the slide started subtly. A UEFA Champions League hiccup at Anfield against Liverpool exposed attacking frailties, and it carried over. Against Rayo Vallecano, they could not unlock a parked bus despite controlling possession. Elche fought back from 2-0 down, and Girona, yes, the same Girona fighting relegation with 12 points from 14 games, held firm until Mbappe’s spot-kick.

Three draws mean six points lost from nine, turning a five-point cushion into a deficit. The numbers do not lie. Real Madrid sit second with 32 points from 13, goal difference +16, but Barcelona’s +25 screams efficiency. Alonso called for “unity and self-criticism” after Girona, but talk is cheap when results stall.​

Cracks in the Dressing Room Run Deep

Results sting, but the real poison might be inside. Whispers from the Real Madrid camp paint a picture of a squad split on Xabi Alonso’s boot-camp style. Unlike Carlo Ancelotti’s arm-around-the-shoulder vibe, Alonso’s disciplinarian edge: think intense training, rigid positional demands—has left stars restless.

Reports claim the in-demand Vinicius Junior told president Florentino Perez he won’t renew his deal while Alonso is in charge, a bombshell that screams lost trust.​ Not everyone’s buying in. Some players nod along to his high-pressing, structured play: echoes of his Bayer Leverkusen glory, where he turned underdogs into an invincible force.

Mbappe has bagged key goals, but even he is isolated too often, with passing lanes clogged. Others? Confusion reigns. The Real Madrid players do not grasp what Xabi Alonso wants in big moments, leading to hesitant displays. Girona exposed it: tons of shots, zero killer instinct.​

This is not just a blip. Sources say the board’s eyeing the next few games as make-or-break. Lose momentum there, and “the decision has already been made,” per insiders. A player revolt looms if Alonso can’t rally the troops.​

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid Methods: Masterplan or Misfire?

Xabi Alonso walked in at Real Madrid with hype thicker than the Bernabeu fog. Bayer Leverkusen? Unbeaten double in 2023/24, a tactical wizard who flipped games with clever switches. At Real Madrid, early signs promised more: fluid attacks, Kylian Mbappe thriving, Vinicius Junior dancing. But La Liga’s a beast—tighter pitches, cagier foes—and his system jams against deep blocks.​

Take the draws: Rayo Vallecano sliced feeds to Mbappe, Elche clawed back on counters, Girona’s Ounahi nicked one before the pen. Possession? Real Madrid had it in spades—over 60% each time—but xG (expected goals) stayed low, hovering around 1.2 per game lately. Defensively solid, sure, but goals dry up without rhythm.​

Players not aligning hurts most. Xabi Alonso demands total buy-in: press high, cover lanes, no egos. Vinicius Junior, post-sub row earlier, seems adrift; others question the intensity after Ancelotti’s freer reign. If half the squad’s doubting, no wonder attacks fizzle.​

The calendar is a gauntlet. After the Athletic Club clash, there are league tests against mid-table grinders, plus UEFA Champions League knocks. Win those, and Real Madrid flip the script, back atop with Barcelona wobbles inevitably. Stumble? Board whispers turn to shouts. Alonso’s no rookie. He persisted at Bayer Leverkusen through storms. But Real Madrid are impatient: 14 trophies last cycle, no room for “process.”

Weighing the Sack: Pros and Cons

Sacking now? Tempting but risky. Xabi Alonso’s win rate at Real Madrid still tops La Liga pacesetters: over 70% since arrival. Bayer Leverkusen proved he builds dynasties, not quick fixes. Players like Bellingham gel with his vision; Mbappe’s 29 contributions scream potential. Ditch him mid-race, and chaos follows; who next? Raul? Zidane redux? No guarantees.​

Keep him? Only if unity clicks. Dressing room rift could fester, turning draws to defeats. Vinicius’s contract threat? Nuclear. If results do not turn—say, no win in the next two—Florentino Perez pulls the trigger. History says Los Blancos act fast: Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari ghosts.​

Stats favour patience short term. Real Madrid’s underlying metrics—shots, possession—are top-tier, just conversion is lacking. But football is about results, not spreadsheets. Alonso must simplify, connect, and win ugly.​

Alonso is not doomed yet. Real Madrid alive in cups, and they squad is stacked. But ignored cracks become canyons. He needs dressing room harmony, pronto: talks, tweaks, trust. Board watches hawk-eyed; players toe the line or face revolt.​

Next fixtures decide. Triumph, and he is a hero. Falter, and Bernabeu bays for blood. For a club allergic to second, this slump’s a siren. Alonso’s magic? Prove it now, or pack bags.