At first glance, Real Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final seemed like the final nail in Xavi Alonso’s coffin.
He was fired almost immediately after the game, a sudden decision that shocked many. After all, his team had just won a massive derby against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, a result that all signs pointed to winning him favor with the board.
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Now, however, Marca has revealed that it was, in fact, the Atletico Madrid match that saw Florentino Perez and his teammates lose faith in Alonso.
poor game plan
There was no celebration within the club for the Derby win. (Photo by Dennis Doyle/Getty Images)
Indeed, Real Madrid’s president and board were very unhappy with the way Alonso put together his team for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
Real defended deep on the night and rode on the momentum generated by Federico Valverde’s stunning early free-kick goal. They had less than 50% possession, took less than half as many shots as their opponents, and only won one corner kick all night.
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The club’s top management interpreted this situation as Alonso’s lack of ability and organized such a game plan. He decided to abandon the idea of establishing an organized attack, much to their dismay.
Additionally, Alonso allowed his team to rely on Thibault Courtois’ long passes to Jude Bellingham and Gonzalo Garcia.
The Belgian played more than 40 long balls that night, and Real Madrid players could only exploit a small number of them against their opponents. los roje blancos defender. This in turn gave Atletico Madrid the opportunity to take control of the game.
Coupled with repeated defensive tactics against Barcelona, the club legend is likely to lose his job as first-team coach.
