Real Madrid go into Wednesday’s Champions League match against Manchester City on the back of a surprise setback at home this weekend and a long list of injuries, but coach Xabi Alonso says they must bounce back quickly.
Madrid lost their 100 percent home record in the Spanish league in a shock 0-2 defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday to fall four points behind leaders Barcelona, but has little time to reflect on the setback ahead of its Champions League assignment.
«We have to turn the page as quickly as possible,» Alonso said as the Spanish sports press speculated on Monday about the state of his relationship with his players.
«There is still a long way to go in La Liga. And we have the Champions League match against City to respond and get rid of this bad taste in our mouths.»
With Madrid having won just one of their last five La Liga games, Alonso has come under scrutiny for his relationships with players, system of play and tactical decisions, amid a sudden resurgence of injuries.
«We are struggling with injuries. It was difficult for us to respond,» said Alonso, whose team ended Sunday’s match with two red cards.
“It hurts, we are angry and we understand why people are angry.”
Defender Eder Militao limped off the field at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the first half on Sunday and joins David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and Ferland Mendy on the injury list.
Jude Bellingham also suffered a cut above the eye but is expected to feature against City.
«The situation is tight because of injuries. We have to make adjustments every game and we will see how it goes on Wednesday,» added the coach, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the start of the season.
Sports newspaper IF said Alonso could not motivate his team Brand – another day – claimed he couldn’t fix things.
But the coach offered a different view, saying: «We are all united and know we can turn things around. There is still a long way to go and you can have a bad game at home. We know what the demands are at this club. Defeats hurt a lot, but we have to look ahead.»
Published on December 8, 2025
