The Madrid derby of September 27 will long be engraved in memories. In Metropolitano, Atlético de Diego Simeone overthrew all expectations by crushing Real Madrid on the incredible 5-2 score. What shocks even more is the way the Merengues collapsed after leading to the score. A scenario that no one would have dared to imagine, except that everything started from a tactical choice that still causes a lot of ink: the release of Arda Güler.
In the 50th minute, when the young Turkish prodigy had just signed a splendid goal and a decisive pass, Xabi Alonso made a decision that already seems to enter the category of “big coaching errors”. Güler, the best Madrid on the ground, was recalled on the bench, under the incredulous looks of supporters and journalists. The continuation was a collective sinking: without the creativity of the former Fenerbahçe player, Real has lost any ability to unravel the compact block of Atlético. The opportunities have turned off, the errors have multiplied and the goals conceded liked like freezing rain on Madrid hopes.
The supporters’ anger was quick. On social networks, the name of Alonso has been mentioned millions of times in a few hours, accompanied by hard words:“Tactical fiasco”, “incompetence”, or“Betrayal to Güler”. Even some ex-players of the club did not hesitate to point the finger at a “inexplicable” decision in a match where logic dictated to leave the man on fire on the field.
But the real earthquake came from an internal reaction. Luka Modric, an emblematic figure of the locker room, would have expressed his total misunderstanding. According to several indiscretions, the Croatian did not directly quote the decision of his coach, but underlined“A fundamental problem that goes far beyond a simple change of player”. A mysterious sentence that immediately fueled all speculations. Some see it as a veiled criticism of Alonso’s methods, too rigid and disconnected from the reality of the match. Others evoke a deeper fracture, linked to the management of young talents and the lack of confidence granted to those who shine in the field.
What is certain is that Modric’s words threw oil on the fire. The Spanish media are already title on a fractured locker room, where historical executives would begin to doubt the choices of a still novice coach at the very high level. Alonso, who arrived with the label of the “new project” by Florentino Pérez, is today on the front line of criticism.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Madrid, Diego Simeone savor a tactical triumph. His men, with a expected goals of only 2.31, managed to transform their rare occasions into an avalanche of goals. For the Colchoneros, this derby has a historical flavor; For Real, it is a trauma that could leave deep traces in the season.
The burning question remains whole: has Modric simply expressed his frustration, or did he put his finger on a structural flaw in the Alonso project? The supporters, already divided, look forward to the next games to see if Real will get up … or sink more into the turmoil.
