According to Spanish newspaper Marca on 10/7, coach Xabi Alonso will meet with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius in the coming days. The discussion will reportedly focus on their performance, particularly their off-the-ball movement and contributions.
The report also suggests that Real Madrid's management is increasingly concerned about team spirit, Vinicius' decline in form compared to 12 months ago, and Mbappe's perceived lack of defensive effort.
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Coach Alonso (in black) consoles Mbappe after Real Madrid's 4-0 loss to PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final on the evening of 9/7/2025. _Photo: Reuters_ |
Under Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius was considered one of the best players in the world. The Brazilian forward played a key role in winning two Champions League titles and two La Liga titles between 2022 and 2024. However, since the start of the 2024-2025 season, Vinicius' form has become inconsistent. After finishing second in the 2024 Ballon d'Or, his performances and mentality have been unstable.
Mbappe's situation is different. He finished the 2024-2025 season as Real Madrid's top scorer with 44 goals. However, his individual success hasn't translated into team achievements. Some believe his focus on scoring and reluctance to contribute defensively has disrupted the team's cohesion.
According to Marca, before leaving the club in May, Ancelotti warned Alonso about issues with team spirit at Real Madrid. After the loss to PSG, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois criticized the team, saying, "We want to apologize to the fans. What's the problem? We didn't press as a team, made two big mistakes early in the match, and failed to execute the coach's tactical plan. We need time to analyze, but from what I saw, we were always a step behind in every situation."
Alonso, who led Leverkusen to a domestic double and the 2023-2024 Europa League final, replaced Ancelotti with the aim of salvaging the season by winning the Club World Cup.
Under his leadership, Real Madrid won four and drew one of their first five Club World Cup matches. But in the semi-final, they suffered a heavy defeat against PSG. Despite having superstars like Mbappe, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid appeared listless. In the first nine minutes, Raul Asencio and Antonio Rudiger made errors in controlling the ball, allowing Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele to score. Ruiz then made it 3-0 in the 24th minute, and Goncalo Ramos sealed the victory for PSG in the 87th minute. If not for Courtois' excellent performance, Real Madrid could have lost by a larger margin.
The defeat to PSG adds to a disappointing 2024-2025 season for Real Madrid. They previously lost 4-0 and 4-3 to Barca in La Liga, 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final, 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final, and 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Marca's sources confirm that despite only managing Real Madrid for six games, Alonso has identified the team's internal problems. He currently has the full support of the board in addressing these issues.
Thanh Quy (_Marca_)
