Not everything is as perfect at Real Madrid as it appears from the outside. According to Eduardo Inda, two of the team's biggest stars, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior, aren't speaking to each other.
The atmosphere between them has cooled, and what began as healthy competition for the team's leadership has ended in a tense relationship that worries Xabi Alonso.
The Basque coach, who has taken the reins at Madrid with authority, has a clear goal: to reconcile his two offensive leaders.
He knows that harmony in the locker room is key to aiming for all the titles. Especially when the third party involved is Kylian Mbappé, a player who also demands the spotlight both on and off the field.
"They get along so-so"
According to Inda's report on El Chiringuito, the relationship between Bellingham and Vinícius broke down during the last months of the previous season. It happened after some clashes on the field over selfish decisions in attack and looks that said it all.
This is how Eduardo Inda explained it: "One of Xabi Alonso's main goals is to reconcile two players who are personally distant, Vinícius and Bellingham, who get along so-so."
He added: "One of the missions Xabi Alonso has set for himself is to get them to reconcile because it'll benefit Real Madrid's play."
Although there hasn't been a direct confrontation, the truth is that communication between them has almost completely stopped, and their teammates are aware of it.
Bellingham doesn't connect with Vinícius
The focus of the tension is on the team's athletic and media leadership. Vinícius, used to being the standard-bearer of the post-Benzema project, has seen Bellingham burst onto the scene and win over the fans and the club in record time.
The Englishman, meanwhile, hasn't managed to connect with the Brazilian either on or off the field, and his body language proves it match after match.
Xabi Alonso, who was already a Real Madrid player and knows how egos work in the locker room, wants to tackle the problem from preseason. He has requested a private talk with both. He hopes to solve the situation so the trio with Mbappé works from the very first minute.
The locker room is divided
The club is also keeping an eye on things. The arrival of the new coach could be a decisive factor: will he take sides with one of them or serve as a unifying link?
What is clear is that Real Madrid can't afford internal division in its offensive backbone. It's not the best way to aim to win everything.
Florentino Pérez knows it and supports Xabi Alonso's management. The club wants this rivalry to remain professional. For now, the locker room is divided.