Bellingham Erupts Over 'Damaging' Xabi Alonso Coverage as Real Madrid Fiasco Deepens

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has launched a furious social media tirade against journalists covering Xabi Alonso's departure from the Bernabéu, accusing the media of peddling "damaging misinformation" and demanding accountability from those relying on unnamed sources.

The England midfielder took particular aim at reporting which suggested discord between himself and the sacked manager, posting: "What a load of s**t. Truly feel sorry for the people that hang onto the every word of these clowns and their 'sources'. Do not believe everything you read, every now and then these lot need to be held accountable for spreading this kind of damaging misinformation for clicks and added controversy."

Alonso's tenure at the Spanish giants came to an abrupt end on Monday following Sunday's Super Cup final humbling at the hands of Barcelona. The former Liverpool midfielder had won 20 of his 28 matches in charge but couldn't survive the fallout from that El Clásico defeat.

The Athletic's investigation into the managerial meltdown pointed to Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Federico Valverde as the three key players unconvinced by Alonso's methods and ideas. Vinicius allegedly sat at the centre of the unrest, with his substitution-induced outburst against Barcelona in late October marking the moment Alonso lost the dressing room – a transgression the club chose not to punish.

Unnamed sources quoted in the coverage suggested the problem ran deeper than coaching, with one telling the publication that "Mbappé, Vinicius Jr and Bellingham are incompatible; you can't have a balanced team with those three." Another claimed it was "extremely difficult coaching players with such big egos," whilst a third lamented that Madrid simply didn't have "a team interested in training." One player went further, declaring: "It's crystal clear that it's not a coaching problem."

The narrative emerging from Madrid's corridors painted a picture of a squad in revolt against Alonso's attempts to impose discipline following the more hands-off Carlo Ancelotti era. The Galácticos, it seemed, weren't fond of actually being asked to work.

Real Madrid's official line framed the split as "mutual," though few bought that particular fiction. Álvaro Arbeloa, Alonso's close mate, stepped into the breach as interim boss.

Despite his relatively brief spell – less than nine months – Alonso's reputation has remained largely unscathed, and suitors are already circling. Manchester United's managerial vacancy presents an obvious option, though whether the Spanish tactician fancies a trip to Old Trafford remains uncertain. Liverpool represents the far more intriguing possibility, with Alonso highly regarded at Anfield and Arne Slot's position looking increasingly precarious.