Xabi Alonso warned Jude Bellingham & Vinicius Jr can't 'cope well' with his demands after experiencing 'freedom' under Carlo Ancelotti

The atmosphere at the Bernabeu has shifted from expectant to anxious in the space of a few turbulent weeks. Following the departure of Ancelotti, who delivered three Champions League and two La Liga titles, Alonso arrived with a mandate to modernise the club's tactical identity.

Arriving from Bayer Leverkusen with an unbeaten legacy and a reputation for meticulous, system-based football, Alonso was seen as the natural heir to the throne. However, the transition has been far from seamless. With Los Blancos trailing in the Spanish league title race and facing a mounting injury crisis, questions are already being asked about whether the squad's individualists can function within Alonso's "machine".

Writing in his latest column for Sky Sport Germany, Matthaus offered a forensic breakdown of the cultural clash currently taking place in the Spanish capital.

The former Bayern Munich and Inter icon did not hold back in his assessment of the contrasting styles, pinpointing the loss of autonomy as a potential friction point for Madrid's most creative talents.

"He's a different kind of coach than Carlo Ancelotti," he wrote. "The Italian was more like a father figure, giving his players more freedom – especially on the pitch. Alonso, as everyone knew beforehand, values details like discipline, punctuality, and organization on the field. Under Ancelotti, Real Madrid relied more on the individual quality of its players. Alonso continues to give them freedom, but he also gives the stars more guidance on the pitch. Players like Jude Bellingham or Vinicius might not cope as well with that approach.

"For Alonso, the focus isn't on the individual player, but on the team. That worked well in Leverkusen. Florian Wirtz certainly had his freedom there. But Alonso expected all his players to contribute defensively. If a player doesn't like that, he'll have a hard time with the coach.

"You have to question yourself, you have to speak openly, you have to talk to each other. Ultimately, though, the coach decides how the team plays and who plays. And I'm convinced that Alonso is a good fit for Real Madrid, but in his own way."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Under Ancelotti, Vinicius and Bellingham were the architects of their own destiny, often roaming from their positions to overload specific areas of the pitch based on instinct. It was a strategy of chaos that opposition defences found impossible to predict. Under Alonso, that chaos has been replaced by structure. While effective in the Bundesliga, the system places a heavy cognitive load on players who are used to playing on impulse.

The friction was evident during Sunday's disastrous 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo as frustration boiled over spectacularly, with the team picking up three red cards, including a dismissal for Brazilian prodigy Endrick from the bench, signalling a loss of emotional control that was rare under the previous regime.

To compound the tactical headaches, Alonso is currently navigating an injury crisis of biblical proportions. The loss of Eder Militao to a serious hamstring injury against Celta was the latest blow to a backline that has already been decimated.

With Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and David Alaba all in the treatment room, and Ferland Mendy struggling for fitness, Alonso is trying to implement his complex high-line system with a defence held together by tape and prayers.

On Wednesday night, Madrid host Manchester City in the Champions League and the stakes are high. For Alonso, it is a trial by fire. Facing Pep Guardiola's side without his best defenders and with his best attackers reportedly struggling to "cope" with his demands, the Basque coach needs a result to silence the doubters. It has already been reported that the result may determine whether or not he stays in charge of the club.