Real Madrid stars split as Mbappe backs Xabi Alonso amid Vinicius Junior feud

Real Madrid’s dressing room is reportedly divided after a public feud between head coach Xabi Alonso and winger Vinicius Junior, with several players openly taking sides.

According to COPE’s ‘El Partidazo,’ stars like Fede Valverde, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy are supporting Vinicius, while Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, Dean Huijsen, and Alvaro Carreras back Alonso.

The split comes amid mounting tension over the 25-year-old forward’s refusal to extend his contract.

Vinicius Junior, a Brazilian winger of Cameroonian heritage, has expressed frustration over limited playing opportunities under Alonso, notably reacting angrily after being substituted in Real Madrid’s 2-1 El Clasico victory over Barcelona.

Sources say he privately raised concerns with club president Florentino Perez, apologising for his outburst but insisting he will not sign a new deal while tensions with Alonso persist.

The feud reportedly stems from incidents earlier in the season, including Madrid’s Club World Cup semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, when Alonso initially planned to leave Vinicius out of the squad.

Forced to start due to injuries, Vinicius played out of position on the right flank, intensifying his frustration. This season, he has started just five of seventeen matches in all competitions, beginning four on the bench.

Alonso has downplayed personal conflict, describing the on-field disagreements as normal competitive behaviour.

“Vini saying ‘it feels like we don’t want to win’ and Mbappé saying ‘we need to press higher up’? That’s normal behaviour on the pitch, these things happen,” he said, stressing rotation and tactical choices over personal disputes.

Contract negotiations have also stalled amid the tension. Real Madrid reportedly offered a net salary of around twenty million euros per season, while Vinicius’s representatives sought a historic package close to thirty million euros, including record-level bonuses.