Xabi Alonso at his animated best on the touchline | Image Credits: IMAGO/Anadolu Agency
Real Madrid kept their winning streak under Xabi Alonso intact in the La Liga as Los Blancos made it five wins out of five matches, defeating RCD Espanyol 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Eder Militao scored the first goal of the evening, which might go down as one of the contenders for Goal of the Season, while Kylian Mbappe added a second just after the restart, which virtually sealed the result of the match.
In the post-match press conference, Alonso seemed very happy with the performance of his side, as there were no scares for the hosts after they took a 2-0 lead at the start of the second half.
The Real Madrid manager said, “I don't know what you think about the game. It was more controlled than on other days, and there was less chaos. I don't know how, but it was a solid victory, more than brilliant, but without any stressful situations like red cards or goals. Maybe they aren't the most fun, but I like them. I think the team, especially in the second half, controlled things well. The 2-0 scoreline was important to manage; we had chances to score, and the 3-0 score would have been enough to finish the game off. But anyway, a victory to keep us growing.”
Vinicius Jr. looked back to his best on Saturday evening as he provided an assist for Los Blancos’ second goal of the match. The Brazilian forward seemed a bit angry when he was taken off to introduce some fresh legs into the match.
Alonso explained his decision, “Well, today he lacked the goals. Yes, maybe at the moment when he was at his best, I could have waited a bit to substitute him later, but I thought that by bringing people from the outside , I can have fresh legs. He wanted to stay on because he was feeling fine. I could have waited, but the game was about taking control, and we needed fresh players.”
He continued, “I mean, there are still a lot of games left, and he just lacked the goal. He had the chance, he hit the post, and it was a shame. But I'm happy with the game Vini played, with the game Franco played. You also need fresh players at certain times. The schedule is also very demanding. So, we have to continue like this.”
Jude Bellingham replaces Kylian Mbappe in the 89th minute| Image Credits: IMAGO/Zuma Press Wire
Despite being in a 2-0 lead for the majority of the second half, Alonso waited until the 89th minute to introduce Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga off the bench.
When asked about the importance of the Brazilian and the Englishman, and what plans Alonso has for the duo, the Real Madrid manager remarked, “I think that's his position as an attacking midfielder, one who can play alongside the striker and can play alongside the midfielders. Jude has impressive playing ability, and the more we find him, the better we'll play. We've been settling in, especially since we started in August. And now with Jude and Eduardo, we have two more alternatives, two high-level players. And little by little, after long-term injuries, we're going to start giving it our all.”
When asked about whether Jude Bellingham and the in-form Arda Guler could be fit together into the starting XI, Xabi was quite optimistic about the same and seemed delighted with the options he has in the Real Madrid squad.
He said, “Yes, the two can play in similar positions, but it's not one or the other. They can also play together. I think they also played well at the (Club) World Cup, and it's something I've been thinking about, and I think they actually combine quite well. One with the deployment he has, with the quality he has in the final third, and Arda can drop back a little more to link up with him. It's a very good opportunity for us to pair them with Aurelien (Tchouameni), who is at a very good level, with Federico (Valverde) as well, and they've formed a partnership that has given us a lot of stability. So, the possibilities are opening up for me, with what that means for the team and for management.”
While Bellingham was benched, Gonzalo Garcia started up front for the league leaders, which meant that Kylian Mbappe had to often drop into the midfield to make up for the numbers. Alonso explained the tactical change.
Alonso said, “Well, today he played in a slightly different role, more of a playmaker. So we talked about what we needed when we had the ball. When we didn't, he was in a lower position to defend. So, he had a responsibility to be close to the midfielders. His speed made it easier for him to stay at a distance, to make that great transition that he did on many of Dimitrovic's long balls.“
Xabi concluded, “Kylian understands football very well. If you explain it to him and he knows what he has to do, he does it. It's another thing when he's a striker. Often, because of his position, he ends up very far away, but today, in the role he had, he did it. So it's another role, from a slightly different position as a second striker that he has played.”
The press conference was originally conducted in Spanish. The quotes have been transcribed and translated by a third party app and edited by the author for clarity. In case of any corrections, please mail to contact@sportshadow.com.
