Xabi Alonso furious with Real Madrid star during Celta Vigo clash

Xabi Alonso furious with Real Madrid star during Celta Vigo clash

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso could not hide his anger on Sunday night after Fran García put the team under intense pressure during a tense and frustrating clash with Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabéu. What was expected to be a routine league outing quickly turned into a stressful evening for Los Blancos and their manager.

From the very first whistle, Madrid looked strangely flat. Their attacks lacked speed and sharpness, the midfield failed to control the tempo, and the defence seemed uncertain whenever Celta pushed forward. The visitors grew in confidence with every passing minute, feeding off the unusually subdued atmosphere among the home players.

Celta Vigo eventually took advantage of Madrid’s poor rhythm. Williot Swedberg punished a lapse in concentration with a calm, clinical finish, giving the away side a deserved 1–0 lead. That goal only deepened the sense that Madrid were not fully switched on, either mentally or tactically.

After falling behind, Real Madrid tried to respond with more urgency. Alonso urged his players forward from the touchline, demanding quicker passing and more movement in the final third. For brief spells Madrid looked capable of turning things around, but their play often broke down in the most important areas of the pitch.

In the middle of this difficult spell, Fran García’s evening took a disastrous turn. The left-back had already been booked for a reckless challenge earlier in the match, a moment that served as a warning sign. Rather than settling down, he made another poor decision just moments later with a second rash tackle that left the referee with little choice.

The official immediately produced a second yellow card, followed by the red, reducing Madrid to ten men at a crucial point in the game. The timing could not have been worse. Alonso’s team were chasing an equaliser, and the dismissal completely disrupted whatever tactical balance they were trying to build.

The reaction from the sidelines was immediate. Xabi Alonso, usually calm and analytical, lost his composure. Television cameras captured him shouting in García’s direction as the defender walked off the pitch, head bowed, visibly aware of how badly he had let his teammates down. Alonso’s body language made his disappointment and anger very clear.

García’s red card did more than just force a tactical reshuffle. It highlighted a wider problem that has been creeping into Real Madrid’s performances in recent weeks: a drop in concentration and discipline at key moments. Instead of controlling emotional reactions, some players have made impulsive choices that hurt the team.

Unnecessary fouls, misplaced tackles, and a lack of composure under pressure are now starting to leave a mark on Madrid’s season. Matches that should be managed with calm professionalism are turning into chaotic battles, and these repeated lapses threaten to derail their push in the league and other competitions.

Inside the Bernabéu, the frustration was clear. The home fans watched García leave the pitch knowing that his dismissal had made an already complicated situation even more difficult. Their reaction mirrored Alonso’s own feelings: at a club where standards are extremely high, such moments of carelessness are simply not acceptable.

For Alonso, the incident serves as a harsh reminder that tactical plans mean little without focus and maturity from his players. Madrid must now recover from this disappointing defeat and, more importantly, address the mental side of their game. If they want to stay competitive in the title race, concentration, discipline, and responsibility will have to improve quickly, or nights like the one against Celta Vigo will continue to cause serious damage.