Xabi Alonso Breaks Silence on Rodrygo's Destiny Following Shocking Career Move

Xabi Alonso confirmed it was his "choice" to leave Rodrygo on the bench during Real Madrid's homecoming to the Santiago Bernabéu, adding more fuel to transfer rumors surrounding the Brazilian star.

Rodrygo was forced to watch from the sidelines as Real Madrid claimed their opening victory of the 2025–26 campaign. The Brazilian winger was again ignored by Alonso, failing to feature for even a minute in Los Blancos' 1–0 triumph against Osasuna.

Rather than selecting Rodrygo, Alonso opted for Brahim Díaz on the right flank before introducing 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono to replace the Moroccan player in the 68th minute. Gonzalo García also entered the match as a substitute, while Rodrygo remained unused on the bench.

After the match, Alonso gave a brief response when questioned about his choice to exclude the winger from Real Madrid's La Liga season opener.

"Rodrygo? There's nothing going on," the Spanish manager stated during his post-match media session. "I certainly rely on Rodrygo.

"It's simply one match. This was my choice," Alonso concluded.

Alonso has offered comparable responses previously when questioned about Rodrygo. The former Bayer Leverkusen manager has now overseen eight fixtures since assuming control at Real Madrid, starting Rodrygo in just one of them.

The Brazilian international has accumulated merely 121 minutes out of a potential 720 minutes under Alonso's guidance. This limited game time has raised doubts about Rodrygo's future at the club.

Several Premier League teams, including Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, have all shown interest in the 24-year-old should he decide to depart the Spanish capital. While Rodrygo appears committed to regaining his position at Real Madrid, there's presumably a limit to how long the two-time Champions League champion will accept being sidelined.

Focus will turn to Alonso's team selection next weekend to determine whether the manager will again omit Rodrygo when Los Blancos face Real Oviedo.