A silent crisis erupts at Real Madrid after the victory over Osasuna.
The team’s star player is seething after Alonso’s repeated disregard, and he is now planning to leave, especially on the very night of Mbappé’s brilliance.
It appears that the atmosphere of celebration at Real Madrid, following the hard-fought 1–0 victory over Osasuna, was far from ideal behind the scenes. A new crisis has begun to emerge between Brazilian star Rodrygo Goes and coach Xabi Alonso, after a surprising decision by the latter sparked tension in the dressing room.
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Despite the importance of the match and the team’s need for attacking variety, Alonso chose to leave Rodrygo completely out of the equation, refusing to give him even a single minute of play. This unexpected decision raised many questions, particularly given the coach’s reliance on less experienced players in the attacking line-up.
The match, held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the opening round of La Liga, ended with Real Madrid defeating Osasuna 1–0 thanks to a penalty goal from French star Kylian Mbappé, securing the team’s first three points of the new season. However, while the fans celebrated, tensions were brewing within the squad, with Rodrygo and Alonso at the center of it.
According to sources close to the club, Rodrygo felt clearly disrespected after being excluded from the starting line-up. The situation escalated when he was ignored throughout the entire match, despite warming up several times on the sidelines. Reports indicated that the Brazilian star expressed unusually strong frustration after the game, refusing to speak to some teammates and demanding answers from the coaching staff.
Adding to the tension, Rodrygo reportedly confided in those close to him that he no longer felt Alonso’s trust, and that continuing under his management may not be in his best interest, particularly given the interest shown by major Premier League clubs, most notably Arsenal and Liverpool.
For his part, Alonso provided no detailed explanation for Rodrygo’s omission, merely stating that “every technical decision has its reasons.” He did, however, allude to ongoing challenges related to team balance and available options at this stage. Some Spanish media outlets have linked Alonso’s decision to a disciplinary message following Rodrygo’s inconsistent performances last season.
With only a few days left before the summer transfer window closes, the question remains:
Will Rodrygo remain at Real Madrid under Alonso’s leadership, or has the first spark of a major internal crisis already been ignited at the Bernabéu?
