Xabi Alonso's issues with the Real Madrid players are coming to light following his sacking on Monday (January 12th). The Spaniard was relieved of his duties after Los Blancos lost 3-2 against Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final.
It's claimed that tension between Alonso and several members of Madrid's squad had grown in recent weeks leading up to his dismissal. That might include with Vinicius Junior who was visibly frustrated everytime he saw his number go up on the electronic board and he was brought off.
Fabrizio Romano might have revealed what started the divide between Alonso and the dressing room. It seems a bold decision taken at the start of his reign didn't go down well with the squad.
Romano reveals Madrid players reaction to Alonso decision
Alonso wanted to build a new team and take Madrid a new direction after replacing Carlo Ancelotti in the summer. He decided to part ways with Luka Modric despite the Croatian midfielder being open to staying at the Estadio Bernabeu.
That's according to Romano who revealed that Alonso caused a stir when he opted not to keep Modric around. He said (via Madrid Universal):
"Luka Modric was ready to stay at Real Madrid. He was ready to accept a different contract to play one more season with Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso and the club decided to go in a different direction, with young players. This didn't sit well with part of the dressing room at all."
Modric left Madrid after the FIFA Club World Cup when his contract with the club expired and joined Serie A giants AC Milan. The 40-year-old has appeared 21 times across competitions at the San Siro and has been a mainstay in the Rossoneri team.
Alonso could have done with Modric's experience
One of the biggest takeaways from Alonso's short-lived reign at Madrid has been his apparent failure to keep egos in check. Many of the club's fanbase feel his squad have let him down with their behavior behind the scenes.
Modric was a leader who had the respect of the locker room and was admired by the young squad at the Bernabeu. The Croat made 597 appearances over the course of 13 years in the Spanish capital, winning every major trophy on offer.
Alonso, new in the job, could have leaned on Modric's experience and popularity within the Madrid team. While it is admirable that he wanted to build a new Los Blancos team in his vision, he might have been better off keeping such a respected veteran around to ensure the dressing room was and remained a positive environment during a time of transition.