The latter reveal which players took the side of Vinicius Jr, in a context of growing conflict with coach Xabi Alonso, and which stars, including Kylian Mbappé, publicly and privately gave their support to the latter, under pressure. Faced with poor results and growing tensions, the Merengues find themselves in the middle of a crisis.
Real Madrid split into two camps over Alonso
Reports emerging in Spain in recent days indicate an internal split at Real Madrid. Several first-team players are said to be unhappy with Alonso’s management. The situation worsened after the 2-2 draw against Elche, the third consecutive match without a win after a disappointing draw against Rayo Vallecano and a Champions League defeat to Liverpool. According to “El Partidazo” of COPE, the fall in results has exploded latent frustrations, creating clear divisions within the workforce.
According to this media, six players – Fede Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Ferland Mendy – are unhappy with the coach’s decisions and tactical management. Vinicius is said to be at the heart of the controversy, having been left out of the starting XI on several occasions this season and having only played the full 90 minutes on four occasions. With the Brazilian apparently unhappy with his role and the way he is being managed, Spanish media are portraying his increasingly strained relationship with Alonso as the trigger for a wider rift within the dressing room.
At the same time, another group of players would have given their unwavering support to Alonso’s leadership during this tumultuous period. This group includes Kylian Mbappé, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, defender Dean Huijsen and full-back Álvaro Carreras. Their support comes at a crucial time for the former Bayer Leverkusen coach, who has been increasingly criticized following his side’s dip in form, despite finishing first in La Liga after winning 10 of their first 11 games.
The quarrel has its origins in the disagreements between Alonso and Vinicius.
The falling out between Vinicius and Alonso is old and has its origins in tactical disagreements and a perceived change in treatment compared to the Carlo Ancelotti era. The conflict intensified this summer during the Club World Cup semi-final, where Alonso initially planned to bench Vinicius before positioning him on the right wing, a position the Brazilian hates. Since then, the player considers the reduction in his playing time and the repeated rotations as a loss of confidence, fueling his frustration and influencing his attitude towards the coach.
This tension came to a head after Vinicius’ reaction to his substitution during the Clasico, an incident which demanded a public apology from him. Although he apologized to his teammates and the club as a whole, he notably failed to mention Alonso, which many interpreted as a deliberate omission. The repercussions of this affair directly affected one of the club’s most important extra-sporting issues: the extension of its contract. According to some sources, the Brazilian blocked negotiations and informed President Florentino Pérez that he would not commit long-term until the coach’s current situation was resolved.
Internal divisions go beyond personal conflicts and now threaten team cohesion at a crucial time of the season. Alonso has previously been accused of “losing control of the dressing room”, a situation historically difficult to reverse at Real Madrid. While club management continues to publicly show its support for the coach, Real Madrid’s history shows that it is results, dressing room cohesion and player power that ultimately determine a coach’s longevity. With Vinicius seen as a pillar of the club’s plan for the future, these tensions put extraordinary pressure on Alonso to regain control before deep divisions take hold.
