With Manchester City looming, is Xabi Alonso really at risk of being fired by Real Madrid? Could Zinedine Zidane make stunning return?
Updated 01/12/2025 at 16:18 GMT
Real Madrid raced out of the blocks this season under new manager Xabi Alonso, but all of a sudden, it feels as if everything has gone wrong. Madrid are now on a run of just one win in five, and after a 1-1 draw away at Girona, they have relinquished top spot in La Liga to arch-rivals Barcelona. How did we get here, and where do Alonso and Madrid go next?
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In the dying minutes at Estadi Montilivi on Sunday, Kylian Mbappe wrapped his foot around a pass into the box, hoping to save Real Madrid from a catastrophic result - a draw away at Girona, one of the worst teams in La Liga.
But the ball sailed just wide of the post, and as it did, manager Xabi Alonso fell to his knees on the touchline, perhaps knowing how significant that moment could be.
After a fast start, the vultures are swirling and the doubts are real. Alonso is under serious pressure and is facing a crunch period with three games in a week as La Liga hurtles towards the winter break.
Athletic Club in Bilbao are first up on Wednesday, a notoriously tricky game for Madrid, before Celta Vigo come to the Bernabeu on Sunday evening.
It all comes to a head when Madrid welcome Manchester City in a titanic UEFA Champions League clash next Wednesday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
What’s gone wrong?
A little over a month ago, the mood around the Bernabeu was certainly different to what it is now.
Alonso had just watched his team beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first Clasico of the season. With 10 games played in La Liga, they had opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table.
After losing four Clasicos out of four last season, it felt like a statement, a momentum shift.
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Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammate Arda Gueler during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
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But now, six games later, Madrid find themselves second, a point behind Barca once more.
Los Blancos hammered Valencia 4-0 in the game after the Clasico, but they have won just one of the five matches since.
A defeat at Anfield - which looks worse every week with Liverpool’s poor form - and a frantic 4-3 win over Olympiacos have come in the Champions League.
In the league, there have been three consecutive draws, away at Rayo Vallecano, Elche and now Girona.
When you compare the stats for this season using the Clasico as a marker, you can see a slight, but not alarming, drop-off.
| 2025/26 across all competitions (per game) | Pre- and including Clasico | Post-Clasico |
| Goals | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| xG | 2.6 | 2 |
| Big Chances | 3.9 | 3 |
| Shots on target | 8.4 | 6 |
| Goals conceded | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| xG Against | 1 | 1.4 |
| Shots Faced | 10.9 | 12.8 |
The story in Spain
On Monday, Marca’s front cover read "Something is not working", whilst AS went for "Without leadership and in chaos", which gives a pretty damning indictment into the mood in Madrid.
"It is a big disaster," agrees Eurosport Spain’s Adrian Garcia, who is based in Madrid.
"Real Madrid has given the first position in La Liga to Barcelona and Girona is the third game in a row without a victory in the league.
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"Alonso has a big problem of credibility with the players and a lot of the fans. I mean, a lot of fans are demanding that he takes a tougher line with some of the players, but this discipline is almost impossible right now.
"Alonso should have brought a new style, fresh style, but the team is playing like last season with [former manager Carlo] Ancelotti and the problems are exactly the same, perhaps even worse.
"At this point it feels like every team in Spain and Europe can win if they play against this team, or at least earn a draw.
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"And, as an extra bonus, all big matches except Barcelona this season, have been big defeats: Atletico, Liverpool, plus PSG in the Club World Cup last summer."
Looking at the data, we can see that Madrid's possession has dropped a little bit recently, reverting to being slightly more direct, similar to how they played last season under Ancelotti.
| 2025/26 across all competitions (per game) | Pre- and including Clasico | Post-Clasico |
| Possession (%) | 60.4 | 58.6 |
| High Turnovers | 8.8 | 9.3 |
| Direct Attacks | 2.9 | 3.7 |
| Direct Speed (m/s) | 1.69 | 1.84 |
What happens now? Is Zidane coming back?
So where do we go from here? Garcia believes that this three-game period is critical.
"Of course his job is at risk, especially if Madrid don't win this Wednesday against Athletic Club in Bilbao. That would be the worst scenario for Alonso," he added.
"It will depend on the next few games. If Madrid receive a big loss in Bilbao, Alonso could be sacked that evening.
"But even then, imagine a draw or a loss against Celta in the Bernabeu, with all the crowd chanting against Alonso, that could get ugly."
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In terms of a replacement, Garcia believes Madrid may turn to a familiar face: "Pay attention in the following days because Zinedine Zidane will be the replacement if Alonso goes.
"Florentino wanted Jurgen Klopp, but I am afraid this is not possible now. No big names on the agenda... for now.
"Zidane is the candidate but a lot of press here are talking of Alvaro Arbeloa, currently the manager of Real Madrid Castilla as another manager."
The return of Zidane could be a spectacular one but also strange timing.
Zidane has been out of management since leaving Madrid for the second time. It has long been reported that he is waiting to take over from France manager Didier Deschamps after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Cyril Morin of Eurosport France believes that this plan hasn’t changed: "Yes, that’s still the case, more than ever.
"As Deschamps has confirmed his departure at the end of the World Cup, there's no doubt here that Zidane will take charge.
"So, to be honest, I doubt very strongly that he will join Real Madrid. He's been waiting too long for the French opportunity."
Could we see an astonishing situation where Zidane steps in to steady the ship as a favour to the club he loves until the end of the season, and then still takes the France job after the World Cup? Now wouldn’t that be something…
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