Xabi Alonso rocked by staggering new Real Madrid sack claims as he’s told ‘the club don’t support you’ | OneFootball

Speculation that Xabi Alonso faces the sack at Real Madrid refuses to go away in the wake of damaging new claims in the media, though the word from one of the better-informed sources suggests the coach may well have earned himself a stay of execution in the wake of three successive wins.

Alonso was appointed Real Madrid head coach on June 1, signing a three-year contract to succeed the legendary Carlo Ancelotti. However, it has far from a straightforward introduction at the Bernabeu, with the reigning champions trailing Barcelona by four points and having also recently lost at home to Manchester City in the Champions League.

That has led to strong claims being made about Alonso’s future, recently being given a three-match deadline to save his job and amid growing speculation that Real Madrid were ready to ask Jurgen Klopp to take over in the hotseat.

And while three straight wins before the festive break in Spain appear to have eased that pressure, two Spanish pundits have insisted the 44-year-old is not out of the woods yet, insisting he does not have the trust of president Florentino Perez and the Los Blancos board.

Speaking on Onda Cero, pundits Abelardo and Santiago Segurola have painted a bleak picture over Alonso’s prospects of keeping the job over the long term.

“You can see on the bench that Xabi Alonso is having a hard time,” Abelardo said, before adding. “The worst thing a coach can feel is that the club is not with him, and it’s clear the club hasn’t given him that power; they are not supporting him.”

Segurola was even more direct in his criticism of the team’s display, suggesting that Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sevilla was not a pretty sight.

“[Saturday] was one of the worst matches Real Madrid have played in recent years; they played worse than against Celta,” he said, before insisting the silence from the club over Alonso’s future speaks clearly.

“A coach who is suffering has been left alone. The club’s silence says a lot about how little consideration the coach is being given.”

So… does Xabi Alonso really face the Real Madrid sack?

Given the high-pressure stakes at Real Madrid, Alonso will need to maintain his side’s upward trajectory after the international break to keep the wolves from his door and to further ease claims he faces the sack.

While many feel it is too early for judgement, the growing noises in the media suggest all is not well behind the scenes and despite Alonso himself doing his best to keep calm and show his authority under pressure.

However, the boardroom silence does remain eerie and Alonso was asked last week if he needed a public show of support from the club’s hierarchy to underline their belief in him.

He replied: “No, from the start, from the first conversations we had, we’ve had a good, close relationship.

“There’s trust, respect. With the objectives we have, the demands are high, but it’s a long road.”

Quizzed on how he would grade his performance so far, he added: “The first thing is to win. And the grades are for the end of the season.

“We’re only at the halfway point; it’s not the time to evaluate things. In addition, it’s not up to me to give myself grades.”

In light of that and in the wake of three successive wins, AS, one of the better-informed sources on all things Real Madrid, insist the coach has earned support to continue in the role for the time being at least.

And they state the club are already processing his visa for Saudi Arabia, where he will take charge of the Jeddah-staged Spanish Super Cup clash against Atletico Madrid on January 8.

Before that, Real return to LaLiga action with a home date against Real Betis, a game they will need to win to maintain the pressure on league leaders Barcelona.

However, AS insists Real’s players do remain behind their manager, and that there remains confidence at Valdebebas, Real Madrid’s training complex, that the situation can be fully turned around.

Should the situation change, however, Fabrizio Romano has already revealed who the club would strongly consider promoting to first-team manager.

On the transfer front, Liverpool are still hopeful Ibrahima Konate will sign a new deal, but sources suggest work may be going on behind the scenes to bring Real Madrid back to the table.

Elsewhere, reports claim Real Madrid are intent on stopping three of their players depart the club to join Arsenal, amid claims the Gunners are working on a staggering triple raid.

Finally, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have been told they will not be getting their hands on Rodrygo or Vinicius Junior in January, sources can reveal, and despite our understanding that the Gunners were exploring a potential deal for one of the pair.