Real Madrid had a woeful weekend. In fact, it couldn't have gone any worse for Xabi Alonso's team, who were left eating dust by their local rivals, Atlético Madrid.
Real Madrid lost by a completely humiliating three goals, despite going a goal ahead in the match at one point. This did not look like the same team Alonso had led at the start of the season, and instead, it was a team that nobody should aspire to be like.
However, Real Madrid cannot dwell on the past. It might sting, but Los Blancos must now focus on the second Champions League game of the season. At least this is the messaging from Xabi Alonso.
Xabi Alonso: "We have to move on"
In his own words, Xabi Alonso said: "I think the feeling should last 24 hours, whether we win or lose. Then, the analysis. It wasn’t just attitude. It was also rhythm, tactical aspects, and aspects of the game. The other stuff is a bit simplistic. We didn’t compete well. We’ve done the analysis and we’re going to use it. Now, Champions League mode. We have to move on. We’re thinking about what to do tomorrow, about the team that’s going to play. We don’t want to drop points.”
The response from Xabi Alonso is crystal clear: What happened, happened. Now, it's time to rewrite history in the only way Real Madrid knows, winning a Champions League match.
Real Madrid fans simply cannot move on
Except, it's not quite as simple as that. For Xabi Alonso, the feeling might only last 24 hours, but for Real Madrid fans, particularly those who live within a close proximity to Atleti fans, will feel the sting for many, many months.
Derbies are about more than just three points. It doesn't take a genius to recognize this. Real Madrid made a mistake by not fighting to claw back at least a point. Actually, fans could have dealt with losing if there was even the slightest bit of grit and fight-back from the Real Madrid players who earn a luxurious wage.
But, maybe that's a bit 'simplistic' for Xabi Alonso to understand.
We obviously back Xabi Alonso, and we know that the result yesterday doesn't hinder his plan too much. But let's not forget it ever happened, that's not the way to go about it.