Alonso says there is 'unity' at Real Madrid

Real Madrid are "all together" from the dressing room to the boardroom as they bid to halt a poor run of form, says under-pressure coach Xabi Alonso.

Former Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso, who has not ruled out a future move to the Premier League, was appointed by Real in the summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti on a three-year deal.

He is seemingly already clinging to his job after six months.

Real suffered a 2-0 home loss against Celta Vigo on Sunday and are on a run of one victory in five La Liga games, slipping four points behind leaders Barcelona.

They host Premier League side Manchester City in the league phase of the Champions League on Wednesday, when 15-time European champions Real will be aiming to put an end to recent troubles.

"We are all on the same boat," said Alonso in a pre-match news conference. "We have to go through positive and negative times.

"We need to believe the next game is an opportunity and tomorrow we have a very exciting game for all of us, and we need to keep our eyes open to have that energy so the Bernabeu enjoys what it sees.

"That emotional bond is very important tomorrow."

Last week, Alonso spoke with club president Florentino Perez as pressure built around his job.

BBC Sport's Guillem Balague reports that Alonso's chances of survival are "slim" and defeat against City in Europe could spell the end of his short spell.

Alonso says the board is being supportive.

"Communication is constant," said Alonso. "We have unity, we are all together in this, I have a good relationship with them."

Real and City meet for the fifth consecutive season, with the Premier League side knockout out by their opponents at the play-off stage in February.

Boss Pep Guardiola said he had "sympathy" for Alonso because the pair were together "for two years" at Bayern Munich and it was an "incredible experience".

He added: "Barcelona and Madrid are the toughest clubs to be a manager, the pressure and environment. If I would done last season here I would have been sacked. It's difficult but he knows it, he has been here.

"They have a lot of absences. I know what happens when you want to build something. Of course he is capable to do it, what is required in that position."

Alonso has not played for or managed an English club since leaving Liverpool for Real in 2009 during his prime years as a midfielder.

The Reds' current boss Arne Slot is under pressure as the reigning champions have faltered this season, and star player Mohamed Salah gave an explosive interview at the weekend.

The 44-year-old Alonso remains a popular figure at Liverpool and left the door open when asked by BBC Sport if he would consider a return to work in the Premier League one day.

He said: "Of course there is a bond with my former club, but for now this is my place. In the future you never know what might happen."

Asked about possibly being replaced in his current role by former boss Zinedine Zidane or Real Madrid B team boss Alvaro Arbeloa, Alonso said: "When you are the coach of Real Madrid you need to be ready to face these situations and I only have the game in my mind."

Kylian Mbappe has been Real Madrid's shining light in 2025-26, scoring 25 goals including nine in the Champions League.

The 26-year-old was not involved in open training on Tuesday, with reports in Spain stating that he has a fractured finger, although he is still expected to feature against City.

Alonso is already dealing with an injury crisis - primarily in defence - with several key figures unavailable.

Eder Militao, who only returned from a groin problem on 30 November, suffered a torn hamstring on Sunday and is set for another stint on the sidelines.

The Brazilian joins Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and David Alaba in the treatment room.

It was no surprise Alonso swiftly shut down any questions about his future, repeatedly redirecting discussion back to the task at hand, acknowledging the importance of securing a win at the Bernabeu and that being his sole focus.

One of the more notable moments came when he spoke about the need to rebuild an emotional connection with the supporters.

He recognises the growing disillusionment among fans which was only intensified by Sunday's 2–0 defeat at home to 10th-placed Celta Vigo. Regaining the supporters' trust has clearly become a priority.

Alonso was also insistent that he retains the full backing of both the dressing room and the club's board.

This sentiment was echoed by defender Aurelien Tchouameni, who placed responsibility on the players.

The French international acknowledged the gaps in Real's defence because of injuries but said it was up to the team to unite, step-up and defend together.