Real Madrid Civil War? COPE Names The Stars “For” And “Against” Xabi Alonso — Inside The Dressing Room Split
Rodríguez, who also appears on RMTV, listed which players she says are aligned with Xabi Alonso and which are not after a string of disappointing results exposed tension in the squad. Several Spanish and international outlets quickly repeated the names, turning radio chatter into a full-blown conversation about whether Alonso is losing the locker room.
This discussion comes on the back of a worrying run of form for Real Madrid that included a home draw at Elche and other stuttering performances that have ramped up scrutiny on coaching methods and player roles. Xabi Alonso has publicly insisted the team must move forward, but media coverage suggests the internal debate is louder than the calm on the surface.
Who Is Reportedly Against Xabi Alonso
According to the COPE report and multiple follow-ups in the Spanish press, the group reportedly unhappy with Alonso includes Vinicius Jr, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy.
These are senior and influential squad members who have expectations about minutes and roles that clash with the current manager’s ideas. Sources framed the issue less as outright revolt and more as discomfort with tactical choices and selection decisions.
Vinicius Jr has had high-profile clashes with management this season. A public incident in which he stormed off the bench after being substituted is still fresh in memory. The Brazilian winger later apologized but notably excluded the coach from his list of apologies, which left room for speculation about an unresolved tension. That episode has been used by observers to explain why some dressing room nerves are exposed at the moment.
Sources make clear that not every name on the list should be interpreted as anti-coach forever. High-level clubs with roster turnover breed strong personalities and competitive tensions.
A player wanting different tactical responsibilities today can still support the club’s aims tomorrow. Valverde believes he’s better suited as a midfielder, whereas Alonso doesn’t agree with that. Contemporary coverage, however, is treating the list as a signal that Alonso’s methods are being seriously tested by players who feel their best interests are not being served.
Who Is Reportedly With Xabi Alonso
COPE’s list of players who are described as backing Xabi Alonso includes Thibaut Courtois, Kylian Mbappé, Arda Güler, Carreras, and Dean Huijsen. Several outlets have repeated the same roster of names and added that the pro Alonsistas are largely players who have seen clear pathways to minutes or who have a strong relationship with the coaching team. Reporting also mentions Aurélien Tchouaméni in other variants of the list.
A goalkeeper of Courtois’s stature publicly pushing back on talk that the coach has lost control matters. Courtois has dismissed claims that the dressing room is in open revolt and urged that internal issues are being blown out of proportion by the media. The presence of Kylian Mbappé among the names supporting the coach is particularly notable given Mbappé’s influence on and off the pitch since joining the club this season.
While the names on the supportive list may be fewer or younger in seniority, their backing matters because it suggests the squad is not united in opposition. A split dressing room is different from a fully stacked revolt. Contemporary reporting paints a picture of factions rather than an all-out mutiny.
What This Means For Alonso And Real Madrid
The practical meaning of a reported split is two-fold. On the tactical level, Alonso must reconcile a squad full of world-class talent with a coherent identity that produces results. On the political level, he needs to maintain authority while managing egos and expectations that come with short-term dips in form.
The club’s hierarchy and sporting director will be watching closely because sustained unrest can translate into inconsistent performances on the pitch. Real Madrid are not a normal dressing room. History shows that the club can survive heated debates if the coach wins and the senior players respect the long-term plan.
A counterexample is a team that fractures publicly and creates an environment where selection is questioned, and media narratives drive divisions. Recent comments from club figures and players who downplay the issue suggest the club prefers private resolution. That approach may buy Alonso time, provided results improve.
Risk management will be decisive. If the names on the “unhappy” list continue to see fewer minutes, or if public rows recur, the club could face a credibility problem. Leadership at Real has a track record of acting when short-term noise becomes a structural problem.
The immediate metric everyone will watch is performance in the next few fixtures in both Champions League and La Liga. A run of wins and a settled starting eleven will likely calm speculation. Persistent draws and public snipes will amplify calls for change.
How To Read The Reports Responsibly
Journalistic caution is required. The lists originate from a single radio report, which multiple outlets then amplified. This chain of repetition is how modern football media often spins a narrative quickly. Readers should interpret the named lists as reported perceptions rather than incontrovertible facts. Real-life dressing rooms are complicated systems with private conversations that rarely map one-to-one with public lists.
Context matters. Recent tactical shifts under Alonso, the arrival of marquee players, and the pressure of instant success at Madrid create fertile ground for speculation. Fans and pundits will naturally try to place motives behind tactical tweaks or substitutions. The healthiest reading of the situation is to take the names seriously as indicators of disquiet while remembering the so-called split is a snapshot, not a final verdict.
Final Takeaway
The COPE report naming players with and against Xabi Alonso has forced a public conversation about dressing room dynamics at Real Madrid. The club contains personalities used to influence games and boardrooms. Signals matter. Performance will silence critics or justify them.
A pragmatic approach for followers is to watch how the manager handles selection and team talk in the next matches and to monitor whether the club chooses private management or public intervention. Either path will reveal much more about the story than Sunday speculation ever could.
