The Metropolitano and the 5-2 that broke Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid

Atlético de Madrid thrashed Real Madrid 5-2 at the Metropolitano on September 27, leaving a wound that would eventually cost Xabi Alonso his job. The derby, with a second half to forget for the visitors, was the first major blow to a project that had arrived with a perfect winning record but collapsed three and a half months later, after the Spanish Super Cup final defeat against FC Barcelona.

• Atlético turned a 2-2 halftime score into a 5-2 final after a 3-0 second-half run.
• Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid failed to record a single shot on target after the break, and the defeat opened cracks in the squad and the board.
• Starting Bellingham, fresh from shoulder surgery, became one of the first decisions to be questioned.
• Xabi Alonso left the bench in January and Álvaro Arbeloa could not turn the situation around.
• José Mourinho took over for a second spell with a calmer profile built around man-management.

The second half that sank Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso's side arrived at the Metropolitano with seven wins from seven matches. Without a standard preseason because of the Club World Cup semifinals, the new working methods were being introduced gradually at Valdebebas, but that afternoon the plan fell apart. The 2-2 at halftime gave way to a collapse: three goals conceded and not a single shot on target in the second 45 minutes.

The defeat was more than just one result. In the dressing room and in the boardroom, two different readings of the same match began to emerge. Some players saw the starting lineup as the first sign that the coach was misreading the squad’s fitness. Bellingham, who had just undergone shoulder surgery and had only played 20 minutes before the derby, started the match. The gamble became one of the first internal complaints.

How the 5-2 opened the crisis that ended Xabi Alonso's spell

Vinícius Junior's public frustration after being substituted in the Clásico and Fede Valverde's reluctance to play as a full-back were further symptoms of a rift that the derby had already begun to expose. What had been a painful defeat in September became, over the following weeks, a breakdown in trust from which Xabi Alonso's project never recovered.

From 2-2 in the first 45 minutes to a 3-0 second-half run with not a single shot on target. That evening at the Metropolitano changed everything.

The Spanish Super Cup final against FC Barcelona ended up speeding up the process. Xabi Alonso left the bench in January and his replacement, Álvaro Arbeloa, also failed to steady a divided dressing room. The situation eventually led to the return of José Mourinho, a decision that would have sounded impossible thirteen years after his controversial farewell.

Mourinho's second spell at Real Madrid: a different profile

The Mourinho who has returned to Real Madrid does not look like the one who left in 2013. That first spell was defined by daily demands, strict routines and fiery press conferences. Now, after spells at Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica, the Portuguese coach has arrived with a more measured message and one central idea: put himself at the service of his players.

The approach echoes Carlo Ancelotti's second spell at Real Madrid. A full-throated defense of his players, singled out after two seasons without trophies, as the path back to success. Even Vinícius Junior's poor run of form has not cost him his starting place, although he has been substituted in four of the seven matches played so far. Under Xabi Alonso, before the September derby, the Brazilian had already started two games from the bench: one LaLiga match without a midweek fixture and the Champions League opener.

What has changed in the Real Madrid visiting the Metropolitano

Bellingham, Güler and Huijsen, from doubts to recovery

The new Real Madrid arrives at the derby with signs of individual improvement. Jude Bellingham has recovered his best form, Arda Güler is playing with more authority and Dean Huijsen is back to the level that earned him his move to Real Madrid and a regular role with Spain, after missing the World Cup squad because of inconsistent form. Fede Valverde is no longer used as a stopgap and Kylian Mbappé continues to average more than a goal per game.

The Metropolitano tests the start of another project

Nearly a year after the 5-2, Atlético de Madrid's stadium is once again the measuring stick for Real Madrid. Consistency in their play remains a work in progress, but the team arrives with a more recognizable starting eleven and a coach whose message has centered on restoring confidence in the dressing room. The Metropolitano will deliver its verdict on yet another fresh start.

Frequently asked questions about the derby and Real Madrid's crisis