Real Madrid’s mastermind Xabi Alonso has dropped a post-match bombshell that’s left Manchester United reeling, zeroing in on a glaring oversight from Ruben Amorim during the Reds’ humiliating 3-1 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on September 27, 2025. Watching from afar amid his own tactical tweaks at the Bernabéu—switching from a 3-4-3 to a fluid 4-3-3 to unlock Eduardo Camavinga—Alonso didn’t hold back in a Sky Sports interview, calling out Casemiro as the “total waste” in United’s engine room. “He tried his best – but honestly, his best wasn’t good enough for an experienced player like Manchester United’s star,” Alonso said, his tone laced with the authority of a man who won the Bundesliga unbeaten last season. The Spaniard, who once eyed the Old Trafford job before sticking with Leverkusen, exposed a “hidden truth” about the Brazilian’s declining mobility that Amorim “completely failed to notice” amid the chaos, urging the Portuguese boss to take “serious measures” or risk a season of regression.
The match was a disaster for Amorim’s side, their third league loss in seven games, leaving them 11th with a measly seven points. Brentford, buoyed by Caoimhin Kelleher’s seven-save masterclass in goal, tore United apart with Igor Thiago’s brace and Matthias Jensen’s stoppage-time screamer. But Alonso’s scalpel cut deepest into Casemiro’s performance, a player the 33-year-old midfielder knows well from his own deep-lying days at Real Madrid. “Casemiro’s positioning was all wrong – he was chasing shadows, not dictating,” Alonso dissected. “In a high press like Brentford’s, you need legs to cover ground, not just heart. Ruben missed it; he was too focused on the front line. This isn’t 2022 Casemiro – he’s a step slow, and it’s costing United transitions.” Stats back the critique: Casemiro completed just 72% of his passes (his lowest in a league game this season), lost possession seven times, and covered only 8.2 km – half his average – as Thiago ghosted past him twice for goals in the 8th and 81st minutes. Amorim, in his post-match rant to MUTV, blamed “gifted goals” and a lack of control but glossed over the anchor man’s fade, instead praising Jordan Henderson’s “veteran nous.”
Alonso’s “strong piece of advice” was unsparing: “Ruben, take serious measures – bench him, rotate him, or find a buyer. Casemiro’s a total waste in this game if he’s not at 100%; he’s dragging the midfield down. United need energy, not experience alone.” The words sting, especially with Amorim’s insistence on a 3-4-3 that demands mobile pivots – a system Alonso himself ditched at Madrid when he spotted similar frailties in Aurélien Tchouaméni. “I changed because the players demanded it,” Alonso added. “Adapt or die – Ruben knows that from Sporting.” United fans, still smarting from the Bradley back-pass gaffe that led to Brentford’s second (as Arne Slot and Keith Andrews noted), flooded X with agreement: #BenchCasemiro trended with 45,000 posts, one viral thread reading, “Alonso’s right – Casemiro’s legs are gone. Amorim, wake up!” Pundits piled on: Gary Neville called it “brutal but fair,” while Jamie Carragher quipped, “Xabi’s got Amorim’s number – time for a midfield MOT.”
For Amorim, this is personal. The 40-year-old, who transformed Sporting into champions with a 71% win rate, arrived at Old Trafford in November 2024 amid high hopes but has won just two of his last seven league games. Casemiro, signed for £70 million in 2022, was meant to be his on-pitch lieutenant – a fellow Portuguese-speaker with a World Cup pedigree. Yet, the 33-year-old’s form has nosedived: two yellows in the Chelsea win (earning a suspension for Brentford), and now this evisceration from a peer. Sources close to Carrington whisper Amorim “missed the signs” in training, prioritizing Bruno Fernandes’ creativity over midfield steel. With Kobbie Mainoo injured and Manuel Ugarte still bedding in from PSG, options are thin – but Alonso’s nudge points to youth like 19-year-old Ethan Wheatley or a loan recall for Toby Collyer. “Serious measures mean tough calls,” Alonso warned. “Ruben’s smart – he’ll act.”
The fallout has ripple effects. United’s next tests – Tottenham away, Arsenal at home – demand a fix, especially with Bryan Mbeumo’s £65 million reunion against his old club looming. Amorim, facing “Amorim out” chants from Brentford fans, responded cryptically: “Advice from Xabi? Appreciated, but my house, my rules.” Yet, privately, he’s reportedly reviewing footage, with Casemiro’s starting spot in jeopardy. Madrid’s boss, fresh off a 4-0 El Clásico romp, smiled in his presser: “Football’s a mirror – reflect, adjust, conquer.” For United, Alonso’s “hidden truth” is a mirror they can’t ignore. Casemiro’s best? Not good enough. Time for Amorim to heed the call – or watch the gap to Europe widen.
