The comparative lack of academy talents coming into the Real Madrid first team has been a talking point over the past year, but there has been some suggestion that the advent of Xabi Alonso could see

Amid growing transfer speculation, Rodrygo did not play a single minute of Real Madrid’s first victory under Xabi Alonso. Question marks surround Rodrygo’s place at Real Madrid following a poor 2024–25 campaign.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said he believes Antonio Rüdiger’s claims that his defender was subjected to racist abuse during the game against Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, adding that a FIFA investigation is underway.