Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid Future Hangs on Three Crucial Tactical Calls Against Man City
Xabi Alonso's future at Real Madrid hangs in the balance as Wednesday evening's clash against Manchester City approaches.
Following what seemed like a flawless beginning to the 2025–26 campaign, Alonso and Los Blancos have collapsed dramatically. The Spanish powerhouse has secured victory in merely two of their previous seven fixtures across all tournaments, relinquished their La Liga leadership to Barcelona, and presently face a defensive crisis with only four fit defenders available.
Merely three days following a humiliating 2–0 loss to Celta Vigo, Real Madrid must now host Man City at the Bernabéu. While these two teams have produced numerous unforgettable Champions League encounters in recent seasons, Alonso's debut appearance on the sideline might simultaneously mark his final one.
The 15-time European titleholders allegedly conducted an emergency meeting over the weekend and designated this high-profile Champions League encounter as Alonso's final opportunity to preserve his position, something he can achieve only by making several crucial tactical choices on Wednesday night.
Who Takes Kylian Mbappé's Place?
On the day before the most significant match of Alonso's brief spell at Real Madrid, his star striker Kylian Mbappé was absent from training. The French international is allegedly dealing with a knee problem sustained during the Celta Vigo encounter and remains questionable for the Man City fixture.
If Mbappé is indeed unavailable for this crucial Champions League battle, or lacks sufficient fitness to begin the match, Alonso faces the challenge of selecting his replacement.
This decision extends beyond simply inserting a substitute for Mbappé; Alonso must also modify his tactical setup. The coach will probably discard the 4-4-2 formation and return to a 4-2-3-1, making Gonzalo García the logical candidate to spearhead the attack.
The FIFA Club World Cup performer has only made one starting appearance this campaign, yet he represents the ideal solution for a Real Madrid offense desperately needing a genuine striker in the penalty area. García's inclusion will also provide Vinicius Junior greater flexibility on the left flank without competing for space with Mbappé.
Alonso Must Disappoint Fede Valverde
Federico Valverde's distaste for playing right-back is well-documented. The Uruguayan midfielder expressed this sentiment earlier this season, stating that he had "secured his position" in the center of the park after years alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić.
Nevertheless, Valverde repeatedly finds himself positioned in defense due to Los Blancos' ongoing injury problems. Alonso attempted various defensive solutions to maintain Valverde in his preferred role; most recently, the former Bayer Leverkusen manager deployed Raúl Asencio on the right side against Celta Vigo.
However, with Éder Militão now sidelined with a hamstring tear and joining Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, and David Alaba in the treatment room, the period for tactical experiments has concluded. Valverde represents the finest—and realistically the sole—option to neutralize Man City winger Jérémy Doku.
The converted midfielder possesses the speed to compete effectively with the Belgian and brings valuable experience from facing players like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Luis Díaz, Antoine Griezmann, and Omar Marmoush.
What Position Should Arda Güler Occupy?
Arda Güler presents a puzzling dilemma for Alonso. The 20-year-old enjoyed an excellent beginning to 2025–26, stepping in for the sidelined Jude Bellingham as the team's playmaker, where he appeared comfortable orchestrating Real Madrid's offensive play.
However, following Bellingham's return, Güler has found it difficult to adjust. The Turkish talent has featured alongside the English midfielder, in a deeper central role, and on the right flank, yet has appeared unsettled in each position.
Indeed, Güler has managed just one assist across his last seven outings, which occurred when Bellingham was primarily rested against Olympiacos. The 2025 Golden Boy runner-up was also substituted against Athletic Club, and Los Blancos delivered their finest display in recent weeks.
With Valverde required at right-back and Eduardo Camavinga presumably injured, Alonso cannot afford to exclude Güler, which would have been the straightforward decision for Wednesday's encounter. Currently, however, the manager must determine whether he prefers the talented youngster operating on the right wing or partnering with Aurélien Tchouaméni.
While it may not represent the ideal arrangement, Real Madrid stands a better chance of creating opportunities in the attacking third with Güler positioned wide. Placing him in midfield where he has been sloppy with possession just so Brahim Díaz, Rodrygo, or even Franco Mastantuono might start forward would benefit neither the team nor Alonso.