Leading media in Spain, such as El Mundo, Marca and Cadena COPE, all report that Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso will be given one last chance to get things back on track in the capital. It has to happen in the Champions League match against Manchester City, otherwise he will be sacked.
The Real Madrid board is said to have held a long emergency meeting at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday evening, immediately after the damaging home defeat to Celta de Vigo.
Club president Florentino Pérez reportedly remained in the stadium offices until late into the night together with his closest advisers, going over every detail of the current crisis and, above all, the fragile position of head coach Xabi Alonso. At the center of those discussions was a very clear turning point in the season: the decisive Champions League home match on 10 December 2025 at 21:00, when Real Madrid will host Manchester City at the Bernabéu in what is being described internally as a do or die game.
According to several Spanish outlets, Alonso’s job is now hanging by a thread. Real have dropped points in five of their last seven matches, a run that has not only damaged confidence but also allowed a once comfortable lead over Barcelona in La Liga to evaporate. What only a few weeks ago looked like a controlled march toward another domestic title has turned into a tense head-to-head battle, with Madrid showing unexpected defensive frailty and a worrying lack of control in key moments. The loss to Celta, in front of an increasingly restless Bernabéu crowd, was seen by many inside the club as the last warning before drastic decisions.
Within that context, the Champions League tie against Manchester City has taken on enormous symbolic and sporting significance. The competition has always been regarded as Real Madrid’s natural habitat and the ultimate measure of any coach in the modern era. Club directors are said to believe that if Alonso cannot inspire a reaction on the biggest stage, at home, under the lights, against one of Europe’s strongest sides, it becomes very difficult to justify keeping him in charge for the rest of the season. A positive result and, above all, a convincing performance could still save him. Another collapse would almost certainly push the board toward a change.
It is therefore no surprise that big names are already circulating as possible successors. Zinedine Zidane, the coach who guided Real Madrid to multiple Champions League titles and who maintains an excellent relationship with Florentino Pérez, is once again being linked with a sensational return to the dugout. Zidane knows the club, the stadium and the pressure better than anyone, and his calm authority has often been seen as the ideal antidote in turbulent times. At the same time, Jürgen Klopp is said to be highly valued within the club hierarchy for his charisma, high-intensity football and ability to build emotionally united squads. Although prising him away from his current plans and convincing him to start a new project in Madrid would be complex, his profile is exactly the type many at the Bernabéu feel the team needs.
However, the late-night meeting was not focused solely on the figure of Alonso. Several leading Spanish media underline that the board is also deeply concerned about the performances of some of the team’s biggest stars. Key players who were expected to carry the side through difficult patches have fallen short in recent weeks, either through poor form, lack of intensity or apparent mental fatigue. In the defeat against Celta de Vigo, sections of the Bernabéu crowd turned on certain individuals, whistling misplaced passes and half-hearted defensive efforts, something that always resonates strongly in the corridors of power within the stadium.
Reports, including those from Marca, suggest that the Manchester City match is being seen as a last opportunity not only for the coach but also for several high-profile members of the squad. Another anonymous or disappointing display from some of these players could push the club toward a radical summer overhaul. The board is said to be evaluating possible sales in the next transfer window, both to refresh the dressing room and to generate funds for a new cycle, especially if a new coach is brought in with different tactical demands and ideas about the type of players he needs.
From a sporting perspective, facing Manchester City in such a fragile moment only increases the pressure. City have established themselves in recent years as one of the most complete and consistent teams in Europe, with a clear playing identity, depth in every position and the capacity to dominate possession for long periods. For Real Madrid, the challenge will be to show that, despite their internal crisis, they can still impose themselves on a top side and transform the nervous energy of the Bernabéu into a positive force. A strong start, intensity without the ball and a more compact defensive structure are expected to be central themes in Alonso’s preparation for the clash.
Inside the dressing room, the next days are likely to be intense. Training sessions will be closely monitored by the board and technical staff, and every sign of body language, focus and attitude will be interpreted as an indication of whether the group is still fully behind the coach. Senior players, especially the captains and longest-serving members of the squad, will have a crucial role in keeping the atmosphere from collapsing into negativity. If they publicly and privately back Alonso, it could buy him time and help unite the squad ahead of the Manchester City showdown. If doubts or divisions are perceived, pressure for an immediate change will grow.
Economically and institutionally, the stakes are enormous. Progress in the Champions League brings significant prize money and global visibility, strengthening the Real Madrid brand worldwide. An early elimination, on the other hand, combined with a domestic slump, would intensify criticism toward the project and raise broader questions about recent transfer decisions, the balance between youth and experience in the squad, and the long-term planning of the sporting department. This is why the meeting on Sunday was not just about one match or one coach, but about the direction of the club in the coming years.
For now, the official line from Real Madrid remains one of public support, with no formal announcement about Alonso’s future. Behind the scenes, however, everything points to the same conclusion: the match at the Santiago Bernabéu on 10 December 2025 at 21:00, with Real Madrid hosting Manchester City, will be a night of judgment. For Xabi Alonso, it may be the game that decides whether he continues to lead the team or becomes the latest coach to fall under the weight of expectations at the Bernabéu. For several star players, it could be the last chance to prove they are part of the solution and not part of the problem, before the club presses the reset button and reshapes the squad once again.
Updated: 03:06, 8 Dec 2025
