Real Madrid: Bellingham says the players will fight with Xabi Alonso ‘to the death’

Jude Bellingham insists the Real Madrid players are with under-pressure coach Xabi Alonso “to the death” but admits the decision on whether he stays or goes will be taken “far above us.”

Alonso has endured a tough start to his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu with widespread reports in Spain suggesting the players have yet to buy in to his high press, high energy playing style while he has also had to contend with a public show of petulance from star winger Vinicius Jr.

Although the noise around his position has quietened after four successive wins in all competitions, the pressure remains on the former Bayer Leverkusen boss.

He has a fan in Bellingham, though, and the England midfielder says he has plenty of support from the dressing room.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Super Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia, he said: “I don’t make the decisions, I can give my opinion. We are all united in the locker room, we must be united. 

“Sometimes there are these ups and downs. We must see where we are now, in a semi-final, four points behind the leaders in La Liga, in the top eight of the Champions League… It’s not a disaster. We want to be better but decisions are made far above us.”

We are with the coach, no debate – Real Madrid star

Bellingham sidestepped a question relating to how Alonso compares to his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti, who left at the end of last season to take over the Brazil national team.

“We have talked about the problems, but we know what happens in the locker room,” he added. “We are with the coach, there is no debate. We are positive and working to improve. I get along very well with everyone. If things don’t go well, then we sit down and talk. We are with the coach to the death.”

Bellingham also had words of encouragement for Vinicius, who continues to perform well below his sparkling best.

The Brazil international has gone 15 games without a goal but Bellingham believes his team-mate will come good again soon.

“There is a lot of pressure on him but he does a lot of good things for the team,” said the former Borussia Dortmund man. “I see an electric and creative player, he creates from nothing. 

“Goals don’t tell the whole truth. We want him to be the best Vini again. We have to support him. He will be the same again as before.”