According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez of COPE radio, the atmosphere in the Real Madrid dressing room is tense. This tension is mainly due to coach Xabi Alonso's philosophy and his relationship with the players.

"Some players do not believe in the coach's ideas", Rodriguez revealed. "These disagreements worsen when the team's results are unsatisfactory. Real Madrid's internal dynamics become much more sensitive when performance declines."

Coach Xabi Alonso during a match against Atletico at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain on 27/9. *Photo: Reuters*

COPE reports that at least six players are dissatisfied with Alonso's management and their roles. This group includes Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo Goes, Brahim Diaz, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy. These are primarily attacking players or those influential in recent seasons, accustomed to Carlo Ancelotti's system before Alonso took charge.

Vinicius and Rodrygo reportedly struggle to adapt to the new attacking structure and player rotation. Valverde is unhappy playing various unfamiliar roles, such as right-back. Diaz and Endrick face intense competition for positions, while Mendy is concerned about Alonso prioritizing younger players for defensive experiments.

Conversely, Arancha stated that players like Thibaut Courtois, Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe, and two young players, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras, support the new coach. They are considered more compatible with Alonso's system and content with their current roles.

Courtois mentioned that Ancelotti was like a father or grandfather figure, whereas Alonso is a modern, more disciplined coach. The Spanish coach believes any player can be replaced.

Mbappe is in excellent form with 18 goals in just 17 matches this season. Vinicius has scored 5 goals, and Rodrygo has not scored in 14 matches this season. Endrick has only played 11 minutes, while Diaz lost his starting spot to Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono.

The team's polarization puts pressure on Alonso during this sensitive period. The Spanish strategist must address trust and consensus issues within the dressing room. Many past Real Madrid coaches failed to solve this problem and were soon dismissed. Therefore, his immediate tasks extend beyond tactics to include managing personnel.

Hoang An (according to Managing Madrid)