The start of the season is proving complicated for Xabi Alonso in his new role at the helm of Real Madrid. After the international break, the team is preparing to face a packed calendar: seven matches in just three weeks, including the Champions League and the always intense derby against Atlético Madrid.

Rotations expected in Xabi Alonso’s plan

With several key players in the infirmary —Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy and Endrick— the coach will have to rely on rotations to keep the team competitive. So far, players like Andriy Lunin, Fran García, Raúl Asencio and David Alaba have not featured in LaLiga, but their chance could come during this decisive stretch.

In Alaba’s case, the coaching staff wants to manage his return carefully after multiple injuries, while Fran García has lost prominence with the arrival of Álvaro Carreras. Meanwhile, Raúl Asencio has been sidelined after mistakes in the last Club World Cup and the recovery of Éder Militao, while Lunin will likely have to wait for the Copa del Rey to get minutes.

“These are tough decisions, but I know they’re ready for when we need them,” said Xabi Alonso at his last press conference, making it clear he trusts the lesser-used players to handle this marathon of fixtures.

An intense run with the derby on the horizon

The stretch begins this Saturday with a visit to Real Sociedad at Anoeta. Three days later, Real Madrid will kick off their Champions League campaign against Olympique de Marseille at the Santiago Bernabéu. They will then host Espanyol before three straight away matches: against Levante, then the Madrid derby versus Atlético Madrid, and a trip to Kazakhstan to face Kairat Almaty on Matchday 2 of the Champions League. The cycle will close at home against Villarreal.

With just 21 days to play seven matches, this stretch is shaping up as the first big test for Xabi Alonso as head coach. It will be the moment to see whether his rotation strategy can sustain Real Madrid’s competitive level across all competitions and keep their ambitions alive both in LaLiga and in Europe.