Xabi Alonso is under increasing pressure ahead of Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League match against Manchester City on Wednesday.
With a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo over the weekend, Madrid have only won two of their previous seven games in all competitions.
Alonso had to deal with rumours in the Spanish media that he had lost control of the locker room prior to the City game.
“This is a team, and we all stand together,” he said as quoted by the Daily Mail. “In soccer, you can change perspective quickly, and we´re at that point.”
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Alonso’s worries were heightened by doubts over Kylian Mbappé’s availability. Due to alleged problems with his left leg, the French striker trained apart from the rest of the team on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, felt sympathy for Alonso, a player he had coached at Bayern Munich.
“Barcelona and Real Madrid are the toughest clubs to be manager of because of the environment,” he said. “It´s a difficult place but he knows it – it´s the reality of being here.”
Arsenal against Club Brugge, Italian champions Napoli away at Benfica, and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain against Athletic Bilbao are among the other fixtures on Wednesday.
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