Pep Guardiola Breaks Silence on Explosive Xabi Alonso Firing Controversy
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola expressed empathy for his Real Madrid colleague Xabi Alonso, suggesting that he himself would have faced dismissal from the Spanish club given his team's struggles at the Etihad during the previous campaign.
Alonso enters Wednesday evening's Champions League encounter against his former mentor with speculation mounting about his future. While questions about his ability to manage the squad have surfaced, the team's form has started to decline.
Los Blancos have secured victory in only two of their past seven fixtures across all tournaments, managing three draws alongside two losses.
Despite the negative atmosphere, Guardiola emphasized that Real Madrid maintains higher expectations than any other institution. "Barcelona and Madrid represent the most challenging environments for coaches, given the intense pressure and atmosphere," the Spanish tactician observed. "Had I delivered last season's performance there, I would have been dismissed."
2024–25 Pep Guardiola vs. 2025–26 Xabi Alonso
Performance after 21 matches
Category | Guardiola (Man City) | Alonso (Real Madrid) |
|---|---|---|
Victories | 10 | 15 |
Draws | 5 | 3 |
Defeats | 6 | 3 |
Goals Scored | 39 | 44 |
Goals Conceded | 30 | 20 |
Guardiola was alluding to Manchester City's troubled 2024–25 season, which provides perspective on Alonso's current situation. At this point in the campaign, the struggling Premier League titleholders had suffered double the number of defeats while posting a significantly worse goal differential.
Even during this term, when City appears more settled than Madrid, Guardiola has endured five losses against Alonso's three setbacks.
Guardiola Supports Alonso's Future Prospects
"I feel compassion because we worked together for two seasons and it represented an amazing journey sharing that time with him," Guardiola commented about his former Bayern Munich player.
The ex-Barcelona manager recognized that Alonso confronts significant challenges in implementing his tactical approach at an organization that demands nothing less than instant results.
"It's challenging but he understands this, having experienced it before," Guardiola reflected. "They're dealing with numerous injuries. I understand what occurs when you attempt to construct something. Certainly he possesses the ability to fulfill what's needed in that role. I can only hope for his success. I have great affection for him."