WHAT HAPPENED?
Brazil international Rodrygo is among those to have slipped down the pecking order early on under a new head coach at Santiago Bernabeu. His game time was limited at the Club World Cup, fuelling reports of supposed transfer interest from Arsenal.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Alonso has vowed to fix any issues that he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti, with the World Cup winner not afraid to make big - and sometimes contentious - calls. That could lead to more big names seeing bench duty in the Spanish capital.
.jpg?format=pjpg&quality=60&auto=webp&width=380)
Getty Images
WHAT BALE SAID
Former Blancos star Bale has told ESPN FC TV: “I think if you look off what he did at Leverkusen, yes, and now he's arguably got better players to work with and I imagine a bigger transfer kitty. So I would like to think Xabi has got the respect of the players and the players will play for him. So I expect big changes and I expect them to play the way he wants them and if they don't, I don't think Xabi's scared to drop anyone.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Kylian Mbappe appears to be untouchable at the Bernabeu, with another ‘Galactico’ netting 44 goals in his debut campaign, but the Frenchman has failed to lead Real to the biggest of domestic and continental honours.
Bale added on the superstar No.9: “It's a difficult one because he's still scoring the goals, he's still doing good things, it's just they haven't won anything this season. I think at Real Madrid you're expected to win everything, so it's a tough one because he's still delivering on the pitch, but maybe he's not having those moments.
“So I guess it's now up to Xabi to find that blend of pressing and trying to get the best out of him and saving his energy for when you need him. So yeah, it's going to be a tough one. I wouldn't like to criticize him and say he's had a bad season because of the goals and everything. But yeah, being his name, what you're expecting him to do, of course everyone's going to always expect more.”
.jpg?format=pjpg&quality=60&auto=webp&width=380)
Getty Images
WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Real have drafted Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen into their ranks this summer, from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively, with the promise of more business to come before the latest transfer window closes.