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Thierry Henry calls Xabi Alonso’s situation 'ludicrous': ‘At Barcelona they create coaches, at Madrid it’s different’
Thierry Henry didn’t hold back when asked about Xabi Alonso’s precarious position at Real Madrid, questioning the impatience shown toward managers at big clubs.
French legend Thierry Henry weighed in on Xabi Alonso’s uncertain future at Real Madrid, with the Spaniard reportedly edging closer to the sack after a run of disappointing performances. The latest setback — a damaging defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League at the Bernabeu — has only intensified the scrutiny around him. Despite the mounting pressure, several senior players, including Thibaut Courtois and Jude Bellingham, have publicly backed Alonso, urging patience and support. But with results failing to improve and expectations at the club always sky-high, time is running out for the former midfield maestro.
Henry didn’t hold back when asked about Alonso’s precarious position at Real Madrid, questioning the impatience shown toward managers at big clubs like Madrid and Barcelona.
"I find it always ludicrous that a manager can be in trouble after being six months in a job," Henry said on CBS.
"But you know at a club the level of Real Madrid or Barcelona... you can wake up and hear some bad news, because things might change. I don't think they should question the coach. If you have a coach in position, you try to see what he can do," the Frenchman added.
Henry, who knows the demands of Spanish football from his time at Barcelona, suggested that Alonso’s approach at Real Madrid mirrors the hands-on coaching style he used so effectively at Leverkusen — a method that not everyone at a club of Madrid’s stature seems to appreciate.
"He's coaching too much, for some people, and not managing enough. I don't personally agree with it, but that's the way it is. I feel sorry for Alonso because you can see what he did with Leverkusen when he was able to coach a team who was going to listen to what he was going to do," he added.
“At Madrid it's 90% players, 10% coach”
Henry went on to highlight the contrasting cultures between Spain’s two giants, explaining how the environment a manager walks into can completely shape their level of influence. He pointed out that what works at Barcelona doesn’t necessarily work at Real Madrid, where the dynamics between players and coach operate on a very different axis.
"You have guys who will just let the players be players.
"At Barcelona, they create coaches. They have a style of play that they need to respect, and it is respected via the core of the club. At Madrid, it is a different approach. It is 90% players, 10% coach. You need to let them drive the car. Sometimes ego kicks in," he concluded.
