Well, I don't know about Barcelona, but I'm very worried about Real Madrid and their new coach. As a Real Madrid fan after that defeat against PSG, I see that Xabi still has no idea what to do with the squad. I'm afraid Real Madrid will become like Manchester United or Barcelona when they were in crisis. I don't see Real Madrid playing friendlies to see how the coach will deploy his players and what performance we can expect from the team.
It seems you have forgotten so quickly, Real Madrid played the FIFA Club World Cup, Barcelona did not. All that time they have been resting so it's quite understandable that they have started their friendlier earlier than Real Madrid who are also probably resting for some time. So no, as of now, he is not clueless or making players lazy.
I think Xabi needs time, I don't think it should be fair to criticize him based on that bad performance vs PSG
Here are some of the risks XA must accept when deciding to coach a big club with star players. This is because people no longer trust the process, as they expect results. And since Real Madrid's performance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup failed to meet expectations, the coach is sure to face harsh criticism.
Of course, every coach needs time to build a better squad, but people are impatient for results. Xabi Alonso is the coach expected to bring Real Madrid's squad back to its best form and achieve more success. This season should be an opportunity to prove that Alonso is truly worthy of the Real Madrid coaching position.
As for Real Madrid's loss to PSG, let's just forget about it and look forward to the next competition. Can Alonso and his squad secure the Champions League title from PSG?