With a 20% decrease in playing time so far this season, Vinicius Junior is not the first nor the only Brazilian player to ‘suffer’ under Xabi Alonso’s management. Despite being in the early stages of his coaching career, the Spanish coach, who was the subject of a tantrum from the recent ‘The Best’ winner after substituting him in the second half of the 2-1 victory over Barcelona, doesn’t seem like the most ‘caring’ professional with the Brazilian football talents. Whether at Bayer Leverkusen, where he became a German champion and gained international recognition, or at Real Madrid, where he has been working since May, the former midfielder has often put the likes of Pele, Garrincha, Romario, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho Gaúcho in the background.
During his time at Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso’s first experience as a manager of a senior team, the club signed 17 players over his almost three-year tenure. Only one of them was Brazilian. Right-back Arthur, recruited from América-MG at the age of 20, never fully gained the trust of the coach. Despite being in top physical condition in his second season, he spent most of the time on the bench. It was also during Alonso’s tenure that Paulinho left BayArena. The current Palmeiras forward was allowed to return to Brazil before his contract ended after only five games under the former midfielder’s guidance.
The decrease in playing time experienced by Vinicius Jr., who saw his minutes on the field for Real Madrid’s first 13 games this season drop from 1,088 to 880 minutes, is not an isolated phenomenon for Brazilians. During Xabi Alonso’s leadership, Endrick lost his role as the immediate backup to Kylian Mbappe in the attack and became the only outfield player in the squad who has yet to play in the 2025/26 season. Rodrygo also faced difficulties. The former Santos player, who was a regular starter on the right side during Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Santiago Bernabeu, has been moved to the left flank and now competes with Vinicius for a spot, often starting on the bench.
The only Brazilian player who seems content with Real’s coach is Eder Militao. The defender, who had hardly played in the last two seasons due to injuries, has re-established himself in the team, starting in nine of the last ten matches for the Spanish giants. However, the defensive injury crisis recently faced by Xabi Alonso makes it hard to determine if Militao is one of the coach’s favorites or simply ‘the best available option’.
As for La Liga standings, following the victory in the El Clasico last weekend, Real Madrid not only retained the top spot in the Spanish league but also opened up a five-point lead over arch-rivals Barcelona, who sit in second place with 22 points compared to Real’s 27. Villarreal (20) and Atletico Madrid (19) follow in the standings, likely to claim the other two Champions League spots from the league. Both the leader and the runner-up will play at home as favorites next weekend, with Real facing Valencia on Saturday and Barcelona taking on Elche the following day.
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