Alonso Treading a Thin Path at the Bernabéu Amidst Squad Support.

No attacker in the club's annals had endured without a goal for as long as Rodrygo, but eventually he was freed and he had a declaration to broadcast, performed for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth match this campaign, beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against the English champions. Then he wheeled and sprinted towards the bench to hug Xabi Alonso, the boss in the spotlight for whom this could prove an profound relief.

“It’s a tough moment for him, just as it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Things aren’t coming off and I aimed to demonstrate everyone that we are together with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the lead had been surrendered, a setback ensuing. City had turned it around, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso observed. That can transpire when you’re in a “fragile” situation, he continued, but at least Madrid had responded. Ultimately, they could not complete a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played a handful of minutes all season, struck the woodwork in the final seconds.

A Reserved Sentence

“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo admitted. The question was whether it would be adequate for Alonso to retain his role. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been framed publicly, and how it was felt privately. “We demonstrated that we’re supporting the manager: we have given a good account, given 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so the axe was withheld, sentencing pending, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon.

A Different Form of Setback

Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, continuing their recent run to two wins in eight, but this seemed a little different. This was a European powerhouse, not a La Liga opponent. Stripped down, they had actually run, the simplest and most harsh criticism not aimed at them this time. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a converted penalty, nearly salvaging something at the end. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the manager said, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, on this occasion.

The Stadium's Ambivalent Reaction

That was not completely the full story. There were spells in the closing 45 minutes, as frustration grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At the final whistle, some of supporters had continued, although there was in addition some applause. But primarily, there was a muted procession to the subway. “We understand that, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “There's nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were times when they cheered too.”

Player Unity Stands Evident

“I sense the backing of the players,” Alonso said. And if he backed them, they backed him too, at least towards the media. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had embraced him, reaching somewhere not precisely in the middle.

Whether durable a solution that is continues to be an matter of debate. One seemingly minor exchange in the after-game press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s counsel to follow his own path, Alonso had let that notion to hang there, responding: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he is aware of what he is implying.”

A Foundation of Reaction

Above all though, he could be satisfied that there was a fight, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they publicly backed him. Some of this may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-preservation, but in this tense environment, it was important. The effort with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a risk of the most elementary of standards somehow being framed as a type of achievement.

In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had insisted the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his fault. “In my view my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The only way is [for] the players to improve the approach. The attitude is the key thing and today we have seen a difference.”

Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were with the coach, also responded in numbers: “100%.”

“We are continuing trying to solve it in the changing room,” he said. “It's clear that the [outside] chatter will not be helpful so it is about attempting to sort it out in there.”

“I think the gaffer has been superb. I personally have a excellent relationship with him,” Bellingham stated. “Following the spell of games where we drew a few, we had some very productive conversations behind the scenes.”

“Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso mused, possibly referring as much about a difficult spell as everything.