Who at Real Madrid is disappointed with Xabi Alonso?

The former Bayer Leverkusen boss, Xabi Alonso, has been in charge at Real Madrid for several weeks now, but unrest is already brewing among the squad. Brazilian winger Rodrygo, who had previously expressed frustration over limited minutes even before Alonso’s arrival, has recently been revitalized under the new coach and seems ready to stay and fight for his place. However, not all players share his optimism.

Midfielder Dani Ceballos finds himself deeply dissatisfied. The Spanish playmaker was left on the bench during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup opener, only getting some warm-up time but no minutes on the pitch. According to reports from Sport, Ceballos is nursing a “great disappointment” over his lack of involvement. To make matters worse, he has yet to have a word with coach Alonso.

Ceballos, a Real Madrid player since 2017, spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal from 2019 to 2021 and has since been waiting for his chance to secure a regular spot in the team. In the Al-Hilal match, younger talents like Arda Guler and Victor Munoz, along with seasoned veteran Luka Modric (approaching 40 this September), were preferred off the bench.

Rumors have been swirling around Ceballos’ future for some time, with a possible return to his hometown club Real Betis frequently mentioned. However, Betis reportedly cannot meet Real Madrid’s asking price, which is estimated at 10 millions. Given that Real Madrid continues to seek reinforcements in midfield — with Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller topping their list — it seems likely that Ceballos’ role won’t change significantly in the near future.

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025

Matchday 2

Sunday

Fluminense - Ulsan 4-2 (1-2)

/Arias 27, Nonato 66, Freytes 83, Keno 90+2 - Lee 37, Um 45+3/

River Plate - Monterrey 0-0

19:00: (1.22) Juventus (6.25) Wydad Casablanca (14.0)

22:00: (1.22) Real Madrid (6.50) Pachuca (12.0)