Under immense pressure after winning only two of his last eight matches, Xabi Alonso takes his injury-plagued Real Madrid side to face an in-form Deportivo Alavés in a match where defeat could cost him his job.
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso faces intense scrutiny as his side travels to Deportivo Alavés, having won just two of their last eight matches across all competitions.
Following an impressive start of ten wins in 11 matches, the team’s form has quickly unravelled since a November loss to Liverpool.
A defeat at the Estadio de Mendizorrotza on Sunday is widely speculated to be the “final nail” in Alonso’s coaching coffin.
The match presents an unusually difficult challenge for Real due to a severe injury crisis, especially in defense. Alonso was without eight defenders against Manchester City mid-week, and key players like Militão, Alexander-Arnold, Mendy, and Carvajal are confirmed absentees for the Alavés tie.
Further complicating selection are suspensions for Endrick, Carreras, and Fran García, making a functional starting XI difficult to assemble.
Meanwhile, 11th-placed Alavés are on a decent run of form, entering the match on a two-game winning streak following victories in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Their top scorer, Carlos Vicente, with six goals this season, poses a threat to Real Madrid’s decimated defense.
While a narrow 2-1 win is predicted for Madrid, the result may not be enough to secure Alonso’s long-term future.