“We can report what may be a turning point in Xabi’s relationship with the rest of the dressing room. In the last few hours and days he has been meeting with different players. I’m told about these small talks in groups of three or four, trying to get closer to them. Xabi spoke to them about how he could improve and what they felt needed to change in their day-to-day work together. He asked whether he himself had to change anything and invited the players to tell him what, in their view, he needs to improve as a coach.

There was also a closer connection between Xabi Alonso and the players on matchday at the team hotel [in Greece]. He met with six or seven players and I’m told the squad responded quite well. The feeling around the coach over the last two or three days since the game against Elche has improved significantly, including with the most important figures in the dressing room. Xabi has moved closer to the team through these small meetings in groups of three or four, talking about how they can improve their day-to-day relationship. The conversations flowed and it seems the players accepted the initiative in a positive way.

We are already seeing the effects today, because the leader, Mbappé, came out to speak to the media after the match to defend the whole team, and Xabi himself said publicly that ‘things’ had happened in recent days. Those ‘things’ are an improvement in how they all live and work together. Why did he need to improve that? It’s not that something terrible was going on, but Xabi Alonso is a rather cold person. He is someone completely devoted to work, tactics and showing the players video clips, but he was not that close to them on a personal level. He didn’t quite have that softer touch. That has changed – Xabi has understood from the players that he needs to try to change, and he has started to do it,” Aguirre reported.

On El Chiringuito they also pointed out that after the match most players posted on social media with messages about unity and improving together, which fits with the information above.