BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Two wins in eight matches.

That is the record for Real Madrid over the past five weeks and why Xabi Alonso is under immense pressure in a rocky first season in charge of his former club.

Alonso looked to be off to a good start with Kylian Mbappé scoring at will and his team winning its first seven games of the season. Even a loss to Atletico Madrid was partially forgotten after a victory over Barcelona.

Then something went wrong. A loss at Liverpool in the Champions League last month sent the team into a nosedive. Losing at Anfield is acceptable for any club; three consecutive draws to Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona in La Liga set off the alarm bells at a Madrid that considers itself the best in the world.

But worse was to come: a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Ce

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