‘He thinks he’s Guardiola, but for now he’s just Xabi’ – Senior players unimpressed with Real Madrid manager | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso scored his first big victory at the Bernabeu since returning on Sunday, beating Barcelona 2-1 in El Clasico. However not all is rosy in the Real Madrid camp, as evidenced by Vinicius Junior’s dissent in the final stages of the game after being taken off.

Vinicius publicly expressed his anger at being removed by Alonso with 20 minutes to go, despite playing well. The Brazilian is now considering an exit from Real Madrid, feeling that his relationship with Alonso as it stands is not sustainable beyond the end of the season.

Xabi Alonso’s new discipline at Real Madrid

In a revealing report from The Athletic, it has been detailed how Alonso has tried to raise standards, and impose new rules on the squad this summer. After returning to work following the Club World Cup, Alonso agreed a new set of rules with the senior figures in the dressing room regarding commitment, punctuality and intensity, while Alonso told the players no-one was guaranteed their spot.

At the club, his coaching staff have impressed with their work, and Alonso’s tactical acumen has been praised. The fact Kylian Mbappe is performing at the top level, and that Alonso has placed faith in young players have also been recognised as early positives.

MADRID, 26/10/2025.- El delantero del Real Madrid Vinicius Jr, junto a su entrenador Xabi Alonso al ser sustituido durante el partido de la décima jornada de LaLiga EA Sports, que Real Madrid y FC Barcelona disputan este domingo en el estadio Santiago Bernabéu. EFE/ Sergio Perez

Senior players unhappy with changes under Alonso

However not everyone is on board with the Alonso revolution. The Basque manager is seen as ‘distant and unapproachable’ by some within the dressing room – a stark contrast to Carlo Ancelotti before him. There is some frustration within the dressing room with ‘many senior figures feeling dissatisfied and disrespected’, continues the report.

In a dressing room that has won it all under different methods, the lack of freedom to express oneself is another ‘He thinks he is Pep Guardiola, but for now he’s just Xabi’, was a comment made by someone close to a Real Madrid player, and it was a comparison that came up on several occasions. Alonso remains convinced that his approach is the right one, and that it will take time to put in place a culture change, one that he feels necessary to ‘correct many bad habits’.

Image via La Razon

How do Real Madrid progress from here?

Notably, Fede Valverde complained that he was not a right-back but a midfielder, before being dropped and being used as a right-back for the subsequent four games. He seems likely to be one of the senior figures involved, given he has struggled in Alonso’s system so far in his natural position. It is also not the first report to emerge regarding a tricky atmosphere in the Real Madrid dressing room. The Clasico win will buy Alonso more time to work, and strengthen his argument that his way is the path of progress after four straight defeats to Barcelona.

While Alonso can shift some of the dressing room dynamics towards the younger players, who have not won so much with different methods, he will need a senior core on board for success and dressing room stability.