Xabi Alonso, no Real loss

11/20/2014

Xabi Alonso leftReal Madridlast summer. He was looking for new challenges, incentives and a closer-knit dressing room.

Arbeloa and some of the youngsters were amongst the few players who shed a tear when he left. They are friends, as their recent trip to Venice with their respective wives shows.

Others, amongst themRonaldo, clung to a loss of talent on the pitch that they would miss. The striker could not understand him leaving because, according to him, he brought something to the team.

As the days tick by, nobody misses Xabi Alonso. Not the club, not the players.

Many thought he was history, especially after his comments on Neuer and the Ballon d'Or.

The fact that Alonso identified with José Mourinho caused a rift with some hardcore elements within the dressing room which never really healed. Opinions of how the dressing room should get along had nothing to do with it. It was more due to antagonistic behaviour, caused mainly by the Portuguese coach's presence.

Under these circumstances, who would want to maintain any type of relationship beyond that which was strictly necessary? Players ignored each other for the good of the team.

Xabi also had the odd run-in with Ramos. The last one just one week before winning 'la Décima' involved a heated dressing room argument.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)