Xabi Alonso 'hanging by a thread' as coach linked with Liverpool could become available

Xabi Alonso is said to be “hanging by a thread” at Real Madrid as the pressure continues to grow for the former Liverpool star.

Despite making a bright start to his time in charge at the Bernabeu, having joined the Spanish giant from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, recent results have seen his position come under question.

Back-to-back defeats against Celta Vigo and Manchester City in the Champions League have turned the heat up on Alonso, who has won just two of his last eight games in charge, and tensions between him and Vinicius Jr haven’t helped his case either.

Rumors have been circulating that he could be fired after just a few months in the job, with Spanish outlet AS claiming his future hinges on the next game against Alaves.

It’s suggested that even a win in that game might not be enough though if he then loses either of the subsequent fixtures against Talavera in the Copa del Rey or Sevilla in the league.

Should Alonso lose his job, he might well find himself being linked with a return to Liverpool again.

The former midfielder was hotly tipped with succeeding Jurgen Klopp following the German’s decision to step down last year, although he ruled himself out of the running before Liverpool went on to hire Arne Slot.

Slot also finds himself under pressure though following a poor run of form for the Reds, and with Mohamed Salah’s outburst last weekend making things a little more difficult for him.

Liverpool though continues to back Slot, with no hint at this stage that the club is looking at a potential change. Alonso though did hint that he might be interested in a return to Merseyside should the opportunity arise.

"Of course there is a bond with my former club, but for now this is my place," Alonso said this week. "In future, you never know what might happen."

Despite the increasing pressure on Alonso, Jude Bellingham has insisted that the club’s players remain behind him, and are not looking to throw in the towel.

"I personally have a great relationship with him, and a lot of the lads do as well," Bellingham said. "After the first run of games, we had some really great conversations internally, and we felt we were on the back side of that form.

"In the past couple of games, we let ourselves down again. No one's downing tools, no one's complaining and moaning, thinking the season is over."

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