Xabi Alonso's Future at Real Madrid Under Pressure After Champions League Defeat
The latest episode of Football Weekly Extra, aired on Thursday 11 December 2025, discussed the mounting pressure on Xabi Alonso's position as Real Madrid manager following a Champions League defeat to Manchester City. While the loss is not seen as a disaster for Real Madrid, it has increased scrutiny of Alonso's tenure at the club.
The episode, hosted by Max Rushden alongside Barry Glendenning, Mark Langdon, Philippe Auclair, and Sid Lowe, also covered other football topics including Newcastle United being minutes away from a significant win in Leverkusen and Arsenal securing their place in the knockout stages, becoming the first team to do so this season.
Additional segments featured a Premier League preview, Philippe Auclair's thoughts on the World Cup, and a listener Q&A. The show was produced by Joel Grove with executive producer Phil Maynard.
