Cast your mind back to the end of October, to the first El Clásico of the season.
Real Madrid came away with the three points thanks to first half goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. They sat atop La Liga, five points above Barcelona, having lost just once. In Europe, Real had just defeated Juventus to maintain their 100% winning start.
Momentum, confidence and control all appeared firmly on Madrid’s side.
For Xabi Alonso, life looked comfortable.
What followed has been anything but.
A return to Anfield proved a turning point. Liverpool, despite their own domestic struggles, exposed Madrid’s vulnerabilities with ruthless efficiency. More concerning than the defeat itself was what it revealed: a side overly dependent on Mbappé for goals and increasingly fragile when that supply line faltered.
The domestic consequences were immediate. Draws against Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona saw Madrid surrender momentum and, with it, top spot to Barcelona. A convincing 3–0 win over Athletic Club briefly hinted at a reset, but back-to-back home defeats against Celta Vigo and Manchester City quickly extinguished any sense of revival.
As results dipped, so did patience. Reports in Spain suggested Alonso was under mounting pressure, with questions being asked about his authority in the dressing room. The visit of Alavés was widely framed as pivotal.
When Carlos Vicente equalised on 68 minutes, it felt like a decisive moment. Madrid were facing yet another damaging result and – potentially – a decisive blow to their manager’s position.
Then Rodrygo intervened.
The Brazilian has been going through problems of his own. Since the arrival of Mbappé, his role has shifted and his influence diminished. By the time Madrid faced Alavés, he had gone months without finding the net in the league. His struggles had become emblematic of a wider imbalance in the side.
But when it mattered most, Rodrygo delivered. Latching onto a well-weighted pass from Vinícius Júnior, he finished clinically to restore Madrid’s lead and, with it, some much-needed breathing space for his manager.
The goal does not solve Madrid’s deeper issues, nor does it silence the scrutiny surrounding Alonso. At best, it buys time. Two fixtures remain before the winter break and both carry significance. A Copa del Rey tie against third-tier Talavera should be routine, even with rotation. The real test comes at the weekend against Sevilla.
A convincing performance there would allow Alonso to head into the break with renewed authority and a platform to recalibrate. Anything less, and the questions will only grow louder.
For now, though, Rodrygo’s intervention has brought a temporary reprieve. Whether it proves decisive in the longer term remains to be seen. But on one tense evening against Alavés, his goal may have done more than secure three points. It may have kept his manager in a job.
