‘Give Alonso time’ – but Man City visit could be pivotal

Wednesday’s Champions League match between Real Madrid and Manchester City was supposed to be billed as a meeting of two of the most prolific strikers on the planet – instead it has seemingly turned into a make-or-break tie for under-fire home boss Xabi Alonso.

The Spaniard faced the media on Tuesday morning, following the weekend’s limp defeat by Celta Vigo, bearing the haunted look of a man weighed down by the intense scrutiny accompanying arguably the biggest job in world football.

In an often awkward pre-match news conference, Alonso managed to keep his composure when fielding questions about his possible replacements, on whether he felt lonely in the job and if he was disappointed in the players.

A pointed moment came when he was asked whether he felt supported by the team and he simply replied: “Yes.”

BBC Sport’s Guillem Balague says Alonso’s chances of survival are “slim” and there are suggestions the manager has lost the dressing room. Some reports suggest a defeat against City could spell the end of the ex-midfielder’s six-month reign.

But offering support for Alonso, former Real defender Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Sport: “I don’t agree with it [the criticism of Alonso]. Xabi is a fantastic coach and we saw what he achieved at Bayer Leverkusen.

“You have to stick with the manager. When I played here I had five managers in two seasons – it is not the way to do it. You have to give a manager time to implement what he wants to do. What is he supposed to do in half a season?”

Alonso will not be helped by mounting injury problems.

Real’s performance in Sunday’s home defeat was met by loud jeers at half-time and left them trailing bitter rivals Barcelona by four points in La Liga, following a poor run of one victory in their past five league games.

That sequence of results could be classed as worrying at any top-flight club, but is deemed unacceptable at one the magnitude of Real.

City, though, present a stern test to a team in need of a change of form.

The engrossing rivalry between the sides is defining this particular era of the Champions League as they meet for the fifth consecutive campaign.

Real knocked City out at the play-off stage in February and staged an incredible comeback with two injury-time goals to leave their opponents stunned in May 2022.

Real have not had it all their own way though, thrashed 4-0 in the semi-final second leg a year later – a City performance which will go down as one of the greatest in manager Pep Guardiola’s tenure.

The two teams head into this contest with rather contrasting fortunes, City having won their past three Premier League fixtures.

“When you are the coach of Real Madrid you have to be ready to face these situations in a calm and relaxed way,” said a defiant Alonso. “I feel confident.

“We want to create excitement, we are trying to change the situation and in our mind all we have is Manchester City in the Champions League. This [situation] can change very quickly, we can change our vision.”

Guardiola expressed sympathy for Alonso’s position and said: “It’s a hypothesis. You’re asking me about his future? I only wish him the best. I love him.

“What would happen if you don’t win big games? You have more difficulties. Xabi knows what he has to do.”

City, meanwhile, come to Madrid on the back of blowing the Premier League’s title race wide open following a buoyant victory over Sunderland, reducing Arsenal’s lead at the top to a mere two points.

But they too need to collect three points after suffering a shock home defeat by Bayer Leverkusen last time out in the competition, with Guardiola’s decision to make 10 changes backfiring spectacularly.

Another loss for City will deal a huge blow to their hopes of finishing in top-eight places, but they have been handed a huge boost by the possible absence of Mbappe.

The news of the France captain’s apparent injury means spectators may miss out on seeing a tantalising match-up between him and goal machine Erling Haaland.

Such has been talisman Mbappe’s impact this season, the 26-year-old has scored 57% of Real’s goals in all competitions, highlighting how important he is and how big a miss he would be.

Haaland’s ratio, meanwhile, has dropped to 40% following a run of one goal in his past four games – a rather barren sequence by his impeccable standards.

The deadly duo sit second and third among Europe’s top goalscorers, trailing leading marksman Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, who has found the net 28 times.

City captain Bernardo Silva said: “I wouldn’t say it changes much. Kylian is a very special player, if Madrid can count on him it is better for them, but I cannot say Madrid has some bad players – if he doesn’t play [Alonso] maybe plays Rodrygo.