Pressure is nothing new at Real Madrid, but the intensity of scrutiny surrounding Xabi Alonso in recent weeks has raised eyebrows across Spanish football. One of the latest voices to speak out in def...
Pressure is nothing new at Real Madrid, but the intensity of scrutiny surrounding Xabi Alonso in recent weeks has raised eyebrows across Spanish football.
One of the latest voices to speak out in defence of the Madrid coach is Eder Sarabia, the current manager of Elche, who believes the criticism aimed at Alonso has gone far beyond what is fair or justified.
Alonso’s debut season at the Bernabeu has been anything but straightforward. What initially looked like a promising campaign quickly became turbulent.
Real Madrid began the season strongly, winning 10 of their first 11 matches and setting the early pace of the season. However, momentum gradually slipped away.
The league lead was surrendered to Barcelona, and setbacks followed in the UEFA Champions League, fuelling doubts about the direction of the project.
Despite the fact that little has been lost, the environment around Real Madrid leaves no room for patience.
At a club where excellence is the minimum requirement, even victories can feel hollow if performances do not meet expectations.
In that context, Alonso has found himself under constant examination, with every tactical choice and every result magnified.
Support from Sarabia
Sarabia has offered support to Xabi Alonso. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Reflecting on this situation, Sarabia offered a strong defence of the former midfielder, highlighting what he sees as a clear imbalance between expectations and reality.
Speaking candidly, he said, “Xabi Alonso is being treated with excessive hostility and a great deal of injustice.
“This is his first year, and change isn’t easy, yet he wants to change the style.
“He’s a coach capable of achieving that. I feel a bit sorry because I see him struggling.”
The Elche coach went further when discussing the personal toll of the situation Alonso is facing.
Addressing the atmosphere surrounding Real Madrid’s bench, Sarabia called for empathy and perspective.
“We need to be there and understand the situation.
“I think at some point Xabi will feel the need to say that we should talk about football, because dealing with such aggression toward a person, things probably didn’t go as he imagined, is likely not fair,” he concluded.
Source: Radioestadio Noche
Category: General Sports
