Xabi Alonso Threatens to Drop Five Real Madrid Players

According to a report from Marca, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has threatened to drop five players who failed to show improvement following the club’s disappointing run in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Los Blancos failed to reach the final after suffering a crushing 0-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals. A major squad evaluation was initiated by Alonso, who was reportedly unhappy with the work ethic of several players during the tournament.

One player under scrutiny is Rodrygo — the Brazilian forward started only once during the group stage opener. He then played just 30 minutes across five matches and was not used at all against Pachuca, Juventus, and PSG.

Reports claim the other four players at risk are Raúl Asencio, Andriy Lunin, Fran García, and Ferland Mendy — all of whom were considered ineffective throughout the campaign.