A favourable run of fixtures could help turn the season around
Real Madrid suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Barcelona in the 2025 Supercopa de España final that took place in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. This loss put an end to a five-game winning streak, but Los Blancos’ performances so far this season have been far from convincing.
Xabi Alonso’s tenure got off to a strong start, as his team won 13 of their 14 first games of the season across all competitions. A 2-1 victory in the first Clásico of the season against the Blaugrana saw Real Madrid increase their lead to five points from second-placed Barcelona by the end of October.
Yet, a run of three straight draws was followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo, with Real Madrid currently sitting four points behind the Blaugrana.
An unsuccessful Supercopa de España comes to add to the doubts over Alonso’s future at the club. The former Bayer Leverkusen tactician was appointed by Real Madrid ahead of last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, where his team were knocked out following a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Two straight home defeats to Celta and Manchester City in early December piled the pressure on the Spaniard, who saw his team bounce back with a five-game winning run heading into Sunday’s final.
The Vinicius conundrum
Meanwhile, reports about a potential fallout between Alonso and Vinícius Júnior have further intensified scrutiny on the coach. Alonso’s decision to sub off his player with 18 minutes to go in the league Clásico against Barcelona saw Vinícius openly express his displeasure by going straight down the tunnel.
The incident raised some eyebrows with reports claiming that the two men discussed about the incident before the Brazil international released an apology through social media.
“Today I want to apologize to all Real Madrid fans for my reaction when I was substituted in El Clásico,” he wrote on X.
“As I have already done in person during today’s training session, I also want to apologize again to my teammates, the club, and the president. Sometimes my passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents. I promise to continue fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since day one.”
Alonso’s relationship with his stars might prove crucial in his bid to turn the season around, as having players such as Vinícius by his side will boost Real Madrid’s title hopes in the second half of the season.
An opportunity to put it right
The congested calendar forces the team to put the Supercopa de España behind immediately, as Real Madrid play away at Albacete in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 on Wednesday. Los Blancos appear well placed given a favourable run of fixtures that they have ahead, as four of their next six league games are against teams sitting in the bottom half of the table.
Meanwhile, two wins against Monaco and Benfica will clinch them a top-eight spot in the Champions League that leads to automatic Round of 16 qualification, avoiding an extra playoff round.
With the next league derby against Barcelona taking place in early May, Real Madrid could push for a winning run that would see them get back on track, shutting down any questions about Alonso’s future.