Alonso under pressure but upbeat as Real prepare for clash against Man.City

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso faces mounting pressure ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League group-stage meeting against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but the Spaniard was confident the team could turn their poor form around.

Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo, in which Real were reduced to nine players after defenders Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras were sent off, left the club second in LaLiga with 36 points, four behind leaders Barcelona.

Adding to Alonso’s challenges, Madrid could be without as many as eight key players, including top-scorer Kylian Mbappe, who missed training on Tuesday with a muscle injury.

“Football can change quickly... for good or for bad,” Alonso told a press conference on Tuesday. “After the Celta match, we’ve already drawn our conclusions.

“Now it’s just City in our minds. It’s the Champions League, we’re at the Bernabeu. It will be different because of the energy that’s created. That’s what’s on our minds, what’s ahead of us.”

Asked whether his job could be at risk if Real falter against City, Alonso remained defiant.

“When you coach Real Madrid, you have to be prepared for situations like this. We are a team, we are all united,” he said.

“To reverse the disappointment, which is normal, all we’re thinking about now is City.”

Mbappe’s absence would be a significant blow for Alonso’s team, with the Frenchman leading both the LaLiga and Champions League scoring charts this season.

The 26-year-old joins an already packed injury list that includes Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga.

Wednesday’s clash will be the 13th meeting between the clubs in the past decade, a rivalry that has intensified as Real and City combined to claim three of the last four Champions League titles.

Real won the competition in 2022 and 2024, beating City en route to both titles, while the English side lifted their maiden Champions League trophy in 2023 after overcoming the Spanish club in the semi-finals that year.

Despite a disappointing run in recent weeks, with two victories in their last seven matches across all competitions, Alonso remained optimistic.

“We’re all in this together. United. Convinced that this is an opportunity. We need to have the energy to connect with the Bernabeu. If that happens, we have a chance to win,” he said.

“In football, you have to adapt and learn. Some days are good, others are not,” he added. “But we are making progress with every match. Good thing we have a challenge tomorrow. The best way to move forward is to face it. It’s a challenge that we must rise to.”

Real are fifth in the Champions League standings on 12 points, three behind leaders Arsenal. City are ninth on 10 points, chasing a top-eight finish that would secure direct qualification to the last 16.

Meanwhile, as Real gear up to face City for a fifth consecutive Champions League season, winger Rodrygo walks down memory lane as he thinks back to his “most unforgettable moment” from the semi-final meeting in 2022, when he scored his first goal.

In each of the past four seasons, one side has eliminated the other from the knockout phase, and the pair have claimed three titles between them in that span: Real in 2021/22 and 2023/24 and City in 2022/23.

The two teams have played a total of 14 matches since their first encounter in the 2012/13 season. Over the last six seasons, they have faced each other 10 times and produced memorable moments in each of the five two-legged knockout ties.

Real prevailed on three occasions, with special mention going to the semi-final comeback that secured our ticket to win the Decimocuarta in Paris in 2022.

“I think that’s my most unforgettable football moment,” Rodrygo told UEFA. “The most important moment was after I scored the first goal, when the fourth official showed six minutes of added time,” he explained.

Agencies