Real Madrid faced Manchester City at Santiago Bernabéu, at Madri, this Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in the sixth round of the Champions League league phase. The Spanish team lost 2-1, with a comeback marked by goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland. The match took place at 9pm local time and exposed the team’s recent drop in performance.
The fans booed the players during the second half and at the end of the game, reflecting their dissatisfaction with the results. Xabi Alonso, coach of Real Madrid, recognized the bad phase and defended the fans’ demands. Manchester City, coached by Pep Guardiola, took advantage of defensive errors to win the three points.
Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 28th minute, ending a run of 32 goalless games. However, the defense failed in decisive moves, allowing the English to react within eight minutes. Haaland converted a penalty in the 43rd minute, after a VAR review due to a foul by Antonio Rüdiger.
The setback marked Real Madrid’s second defeat in the competition, after a setback to Liverpool. In the overall season, there were four defeats in 22 games, with 15 wins and three draws. The team fell to seventh place, with 12 points, still in the direct classification zone for the round of 16.
👔@XabiAlonso: “The players have given up to the last aliento”.
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid)December 10, 2025
🎙️ Rueda press ➡️ RM Play
Match details reveal defensive flaws
Real Madrid started pressing and won a penalty early on, but wasted chances. Rodrygo finished with precision after a cross from Vinícius Jr., livening up the stadium. City’s response came quickly, with O’Reilly taking advantage of a corner kick in the 35th minute.
Haaland added a penalty, his 51st goal in 50 Champions games, highlighting his efficiency. Thibaut Courtois made important saves, including a double intervention at the end of the first half. In the second half, Real Madrid tried to react, but was hampered by a lack of force.
- Rodrygo: Gol at 28′, ending his goal drought and hugging Alonso in celebration.
- O’Reilly: Empate at 35′, on a rebound from a header by Gvardiol.
- Haaland: 2-1 in the 43rd minute, from the penalty spot after a foul by Rüdiger.
The absence of Kylian Mbappé, on the bench due to a tactical option, limited the offensive options. Endrick hit the post in the 85th minute, with a header from Fran García’s cross. City controlled the game with 58% possession and more dangerous shots.
Pressure on Xabi Alonso grows after setback
Xabi Alonso, hired after success at Bayer Leverkusen, has faced intense criticism since November. The defeat by Celta of Vigo, 2-0 at home, in La Liga, preceded the game against City. The coach changed the formation three times during the match, but without immediate effect.
Alonso praised the players’ persistence, highlighting their collective effort despite the difficulties. Ele emphasized internal self-criticism and understanding for the fans. “The requirement here is absolute, and we accept this as normal,” he told the Spanish press.
The Real Madrid board met after the game, but decided to keep the coach until January 2026. Internal Fontes indicate that only a bigger crisis would accelerate changes. Alonso, with successful spells as a player at the club, asked for serenity at the press conference.
The Spaniard compared the moment to the long season, with 30 rounds remaining in the Champions. Ele saw positive aspects, such as the initial energy and final pressure. Críticos point out a lack of tactical cohesion in big games.
History of clashes favors City
The teams met for the fifth time in three years, with Manchester City winning four. In the last edition, City eliminated Real in the semifinals. Pep Guardiola, former coach of Barcelona, has three victories in Madri against his rival.
Real Madrid seeks rehabilitation at La Liga, where they lost the lead to Barcelona. With 15 wins this season, the focus now is on recovery at home. The next game is against Rayo Vallecano, on Sunday, December 14th.
Alonso plans adjustments in defense, with Rüdiger and Nacho under evaluation. Vinícius Jr. created the best chances, but missed shots. The club monitors the market for reinforcements in January.
Reactions from fans and Spanish media
Fans filled the Bernabéu with high expectations, but boos echoed in the second half. Alguns applauded the players’ departure, but the majority contested the performance. Redes social networks registered hashtags like #AlonsoOut, with thousands of interactions.
Newspapers such as Marca and AS highlighted the crisis, with headlines about Alonso’s “uncertain future”. Analistas praised City for efficiency, citing 13 points in the table. Real Madrid, with 12, needs to win the last games to advance.
The English press celebrated Guardiola, who broke his streak of European victories after defeat to Leverkusen. Haaland was chosen man of the match, with a score of 9.2 in specialized evaluations.
- Boos at the final whistle: Dirigidas mainly at the bench.
- Isolated applause: Para Rodrygo and Courtois for their individual performance.
- Viral hashtags: #RealMadridCrisis and #CityChampions.
The episode reinforces the pressure in the locker room, with Rodrygo defending the group’s unity.
Decisive moments define the score
The first half had four goals in 15 minutes, a rare pace in the competition. The initial penalty for Real was canceled by VAR, but Rodrygo scored in a collective play. City exploited dead balls, with Gvardiol heading for a rebound.
At half-time, Alonso exerted more intensity, but the second half saw English dominance. Courtois avoided a bigger score with defenses in Haaland and Bernardo Silva. Endrick and Güler created the final chances, without conversion.
Statistics show balanced possession, but City with 14 shots against 10. Real Madrid committed 12 fouls, against 8 from the rival. The turnaround in eight minutes exposed weaknesses in marking.
Position in the table of Champions
With the defeat, Real Madrid has 12 points in six games, three wins, three defeats. The City reaches 13, strengthening the campaign. Líderes like Bayern and PSG have 15 points.
The round of 16 zone includes the top eight, with tiebreakers based on goals. Real needs victories in the final rounds to move up. Direct Confrontos weighs in the criteria.
The competition continues until May 2026, with an extended group stage. Real Madrid advances mathematically with two more victories.
The focus now is on internal recovery, with intense training scheduled for Thursday.
