MADRID DENIES DRAMA: XABI ALONSO REFUTES JUDE BELLINGHAM 'CONFLICT' RUMORS
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has dismissed reports of tension with Jude Bellingham, stating they have a strong relationship and talk "all the time" amid the team's search for form.
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso says he gets along very well with midfielder Jude Bellingham, despite rumours of tension between them. Alonso insists he has no problems with Bellingham, who has played really well since coming back from a shoulder injury that bothered him during the 2025-26 season.
Bellingham has been scoring goals since his return.
A report says Bellingham isn't happy with Alonso.
Even though Bellingham has played well in his first few games under Alonso, a Spanish newspaper, Mundo Deportivo, reported earlier this week that there might be some conflict between them. The report also says that Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, and Endrick aren't happy with Alonso, who took over as coach from Carlo Ancelotti this summer.
Alonso says he talks to Bellingham a lot
Before Real's game against Girona on Sunday, Alonso dismissed the rumours about his relationship with Bellingham, saying that their private conversations are fine.
When asked if he had any issues with Bellingham, Alonso said, Not at all. I talk to Jude all the time, and we get along great. He's a world-class player who wants to get better, learn, and use his potential to become more useful.
I like players who want to know how to improve and ask questions. He fits in well because he's very versatile, and we need to pay attention to what's going on around him.
Alonso also defends his relationship with Vinicius.
This isn't the first time Alonso has had to explain his relationship with a player. He was also questioned about his choice to put Vinicius on the bench for Real's game against Elche.
Alonso said after the game that he and Vinicius had discussed the plan beforehand: We talked about it. We talk about it often. He gets it; he knew what role he could play. We've done it before, like in Getafe. We're not happy today, but everyone is eager to get back on track.
He insisted that he and the rest of the Real team are getting closer: We haven't fallen apart. We're still competing, and each game is different. The result is what matters, and we know that and are honest with ourselves. The mood is good; we have to respond to tough situations. This is Real Madrid. We deal with criticism and want to improve.
We're getting to know each other better and spending more time together. We're all in the same situation, and we celebrate wins. We suffer if we don't win. We need to turn things around, starting with the game against Olympiacos.
Real's next game: Alonso's team wants to take back the top spot against Girona.
Real wants to get back to the top of La Liga when they play Girona on Sunday. Alonso's team lost their place at the top after Barcelona beat Alaves 3-1 on Saturday, with Dani Olmo scoring twice.
Real is preparing for its game against Girona after winning 4-3 against Olympiacos in the Champions League this week. They want to find their form in La Liga after drawing their last two games against Rayo Vallecano and Elche.
Before the Girona game, Alonso said, "The plan has always been the same." We've had some problems, but we're going to fix them to get better. We want to keep being aggressive, proactive, and focused when we try to win the ball back. If the team isn't organised, things get harder. We need to be organised, focused, and confident in how to do things.
FUTURE CORE: HOW JOAO NEVES AND VITINHA COULD REBUILD REAL MADRID’S MIDFIELD
Real Madrid eye Joao Neves: Read about the €160m PSG raid, Vitinha’s €100m clause, and the shock Courtois news regarding Trent.
Real Madrid aren’t just eyeing Vitinha from PSG anymore; they’re now interested in bringing in his teammate Joao Neves as well. That’s according to a new report, which also says that Madrid hasn't lost sight of Rodri from Manchester City, even if that deal looks tough.
Madrid has been after Vitinha for a while. He’s the kind of midfielder who can dictate play and control the game from the centre. Lately, Spanish media have been buzzing about Madrid getting ready to make a huge offer of around €100 million for him. Supposedly, Vitinha has a private agreement that lets him leave PSG if someone puts that kind of money on the table.
But now, Sports Boom claims Madrid have set their sights on Neves, too. Apparently, the club sees him as the missing piece in their plan to rebuild the midfield. Scouts have already told the board that he’s a must-sign. Now, it’s up to Florentino Pérez to figure out if Madrid will go all-in.
It won’t be easy, though. PSG just won the league and the Champions League; they’re not looking to part ways with Neves. If Madrid wants him, they’ll need to cough up somewhere between €150 and €160 million. Neves only joined PSG from Benfica last summer, and he’s under contract until 2029.
He’s already made an impact: 13 goals and 12 assists in 83 games for PSG. This season alone, the 21-year-old has started 11 times in Ligue 1 and six times in the Champions League.
Switching gears, Real Madrid is also keeping an eye on Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, according to Fraser Fletcher, their transfer correspondent. And Liverpool? They’re apparently preparing a massive bid for one of Madrid’s own rising stars, but there’s no word yet if Madrid will actually let him go.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any wilder, a Spanish report claims Thibaut Courtois wants Madrid to move on from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who just arrived from Liverpool in 2025. The drama never really stops at the Bernabéu.
THE ARBELOA STANCE: WHY REAL MADRID’S COACH DEMANDS A HISTORIC PRECEDENT FOR VINICIUS JR
Action needed: Discover why Alvaro Arbeloa is challenging UEFA to punish Gianluca Prestianni and support Vinicius Jr. in Madrid.
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa wants to see UEFA back up its anti-racism talk with real action after forward Vinicius Jr said he was racially abused during last week’s Champions League match in Lisbon.
The incident happened during the first leg of the knockout round against Benfica. Vinicius, who scored the game’s only goal, says Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni targeted him with racist abuse soon after he found the net.
Prestianni, a 20-year-old winger from Argentina, denies it. Still, UEFA hit him with a one-game provisional suspension, so he’ll miss the return leg in Madrid on Wednesday.
“This is a big chance to actually move the fight against racism forward,” Arbeloa told reporters on Tuesday. “UEFA’s always talked a good game about this issue, but now they can show they mean it. I hope they don’t just stick to slogans and banners this time.”
Vinicius, 25, picked up a yellow card for celebrating his goal in front of Benfica’s fans. Benfica manager Jose Mourinho later accused him of being disrespectful and stirring up the crowd.
But Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pushed back. He said Vinicius’s celebration was nothing out of the ordinary and that it never justifies racist abuse.
“Mourinho’s going to defend his club and his player; that’s normal,” Courtois said. “What bothers me is blaming Vini’s celebration. He didn’t do anything wrong. Opponents celebrate in front of us all the time, especially when they score. It happens, and we move on. There’s no excuse for racism, period.”
Arbeloa called Vinicius a “fighter” and said he’s sure the Brazilian will prove himself on the pitch at the Bernabeu.
“Vini Junior has always had guts and personality,” Arbeloa said. “Honestly, I don’t know how anyone else would handle what he’s faced. He’s always stood tall, and that’s just how he is. He’ll show up tomorrow ready to fight, ready to show he’s one of the world’s best.”
The first match was stopped for ten minutes after Vinicius told the referee what happened, and Real Madrid’s players walked off the field for a bit. There were also reports of racist gestures from fans in the stands at Benfica’s stadium. UEFA says Prestianni could face more punishment once their ethics inspector finishes a full investigation.
On the Benfica side, club president Rui Costa stood by Prestianni and confirmed they’re appealing the suspension.
“I wasn’t on the pitch to hear what was said, but you can imagine how heated things get,” Costa told reporters at Lisbon airport. “We trust our player. He’s being labelled a racist, and I can promise you he’s nothing of the sort. That's why we have faith in him.”
Mourinho, who’s been criticised for his comments, won’t speak at the usual pre-match press conference.
Costa added, “We’ve appealed because nothing’s been proven, so there’s no real reason Prestianni should miss this game.”
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