Tactical mistake, Xabi Alonso pays the price in derby

Seven wins gone overnight. The Madrid derby turned Xabi Alonso from “perfect starter” to one questioned for his own choices, as Real Madrid showed a lack of character before their first big test.

Xabi Alonso failed the first tough test.

The Madrid derby is never an easy game, but the 2-5 defeat at the Metropolitano on the evening of September 27 exposed serious flaws in Xabi Alonso's system. After a perfect start with 7 wins from 7 games, Real Madrid faced a tough opponent for the first time, and the result was a painful stumble - an early warning for the young captain.

Decided to take a risk with Bellingham

Jude Bellingham’s return to the starting line-up, despite his fitness, was the most controversial decision. The English midfielder remains a valuable asset for Real, but in the fierce derby, he looked out of place, slow and disjointed.

Six recoveries is a positive number, but it cannot hide a lackluster performance. More importantly, that risky decision caused Real Madrid to lose balance, leaving gaps in midfield for Atlético to exploit.

The name Mastantuono was awaited by many Madridistas after his shining performance against Levante. But Xabi Alonso chose to sacrifice this young talent to make room for Bellingham. That decision was no different from extinguishing the excitement in a match where Mastantuono had plenty of motivation - facing his compatriots on the other side of the battle line.

Only when he was put on the field, he managed to create 5 crosses in just half an hour, single-handedly bringing about a rare breakthrough. The image of Mastantuono kicking the ball into the stands in anger in the extra minute was not only a spontaneous reaction, but also reflected the deadlock of the whole team.

Bellingham out of place in Madrid derby.

While Bellingham was given unconditional trust, Arda Güler was taken off too early due to a yellow card. This decision is difficult to explain.

It was Güler who held the key to unlocking Atletico’s defense: assisting Mbappe to equalize, then scoring himself to make it 2-1. The understanding with Mbappe was becoming increasingly clear, but instead of exploiting it fully, Xabi chose to be “cautious” - which in fact meant losing the most powerful weapon in his hands.

The pressing identity disappears

One of the hallmarks of Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu was his high pressing, his proactive approach to suppressing opponents. But at the Metropolitano, that style of play disappeared completely. Real Madrid only recovered the ball once in the opposing third - a very modest number compared to the previous average of 6.5 times per game. The total number of ball recoveries was only 32, less than two-thirds of the match against Levante.

The lethargy and lack of determination turned Madrid into a fragile team, easily defeated. Xabi himself admitted: “The most worrying thing is why we lost that intensity.”

Not only are Xabi's personnel decisions controversial, his use of players has also shown its limitations. Statistics show that 33/38 substitutions this season have been made after the 70th minute - too late to turn things around. The derby was no exception: Rodrygo came on in the 70th minute, Gonzalo until the 89th minute. It's true that Real had five strikers on the pitch at the end of the match, but at that point, all efforts were like a drop in the ocean.

Real Madrid were crushed by Atletico Madrid in the capital derby.

Against Atletico, Real Madrid had a perfect record, but it must be stressed that this was mainly against average opponents. Atletico was the first real "test", and Xabi Alonso's team failed completely.

This brings back memories of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, when Real Madrid fell to PSG in their first big game. One time can be blamed on adaptation, but two in a row is clearly a systemic problem.

The Madrid Derby not only cost Real three points, but also exposed big questions: Was Xabi too conservative in his team formation? Was he flexible enough to adjust in high-profile matches? And was his pressing style truly sustainable against experienced opponents like Atlético or PSG?

Real Madrid still have the potential to come back, with Mbappe, Vinicius, Güler or Mastantuono - stars capable of changing the situation. But the 2-5 defeat against Atlético was a wake-up call, a “first warning” for Xabi Alonso.

At the Bernabeu, where the desire to win is always paramount, there are few opportunities for tactical errors. If Xabi does not learn his lesson quickly, he may face more serious warnings - and when that happens, the pressure from the stands and the dressing room will not be as pleasant as it is today.

Source: https://znews.vn/sai-lam-chien-thuat-xabi-alonso-tra-gia-o-derby-post1588944.html