Xabi Alonso will face his biggest test in January as pressure grows even after Alaves win | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s narrow win over Deportivo Alaves has given Xabi Alonso some amount of respite.

The Spaniard was walking a tightrope heading into the game, knowing a defeat could have led to an immediate sacking, with Real Madrid having already readied Alvaro Arbeloa as a replacement.

But even after the win, Alonso’s future at Real Madrid is far from secure at the moment.

What Real Madrid expect from Xabi Alonso

As pressure over his future grows, Fabrizio Romano has offered some fresh perspective on the situation.

The Italian transfer expert claims that Alonso’s big test could be in January, when Real Madrid take on Atletico Madrid and potentially Barcelona in the Super Cup final.

Things have improved at Real Madrid lately. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Real Madrid want Alonso to prove himself by winning the Spanish Super Cup, to show that he is capable of not only turning things around but also winning trophies for the team.

At the same time, though, Alonso must still end the year on a strong note if he is to retain his role as the Real Madrid manager.

Therefore, wins against CF Talavera in the Copa del Rey and Sevilla in La Liga could be imperative as Real Madrid look to keep up the pressure on Barcelona.

Alsonso must win these fixtures to also prove that things have improved at Real Madrid after initial talkf of a muitny.

Things have indeed improved for Alonso in the recent past, with the coach now receiving more support from his players, especially after a rallying cry from veteran Dani Carvajal.

These two matches should be theoretically be easy for Real Madrid, but nothing can be ruled out, especially given the team has dropped points in unneessary games this season.