Xabi Alonso: “I’ve always felt that the team is very united”

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso spoke on Saturday ahead of the game against Girona in La Liga on Sunday and was asked if he’d received a message of support from his players, saying, “no, I’ve always felt that the team is very united, that we were all clear about the goal for this season. If we want to get to May, to April, to the important moments with everything still possible, we have to be very connected on a day-to-day basis. The connection is very good. In the good moments we are together, in the not-so-good moments too, and these are things that happen in football in all teams, and we have that good communication, that good connection on a day-to-day basis to make it very solid. Despite everything that is said and what people want, we are very solid from within.”

Xabi Alonso on a third away match in a row

“We know that this is the first match after the last one in Athens, in the Champions League, and that we also need that feeling of winning away from home in the league. With the strange schedule, with so many matches in a row, the Champions League and league matches have come together, but tomorrow we need a great match, a good win, to keep adding three points at a time. If we want to stay up there, that’s the goal, and the team is doing well, we’ve got people back, so we’re in better shape.”

Xabi Alonso on Laporta’s statements about ‘Barcelonitis’

“Well, we know, there are messages everywhere these days, populist messages that appeal to their supporters, and well, we focus on our own business. The important thing is what happens on the pitch, winning in a sporting manner, in a deserved manner, and every match is a test for that, and we have to prove it.”

Xabi Alonso on what a great match is for him

“We need that continuity. I think we’ve had some very good spells of play, but we’ve lacked a complete match, in which we’ve felt that dominance, that control, that confidence, that conviction, yes, but that continuity and consistency in our play. I think that, above all, we have grown in defence. I’m not very happy with some things that we can improve, especially the goals we’ve conceded in recent matches, but we’re going to do our best, for sure, and then with the ball, I also think we’re improving in terms of build-up play, and that’s the way forward.”

Xabi Alonso on ditching the high press

“No, no, the approach and the idea have always been the same. Yes, we’ve had some misalignments, but we’re going to correct them to improve, but we do want to continue to be aggressive, continue to be protagonists, continue to be intense when it comes to recovering the ball as soon as possible, but from an organisational standpoint. When organisation falters a little, it costs a little more, and those are the two things: organisation and intensity, and the conviction of how to do it.”

Xabi Alonso on defensive injuries

“We do have Rüdiger and Militão back, they’re in the squad, and we’ll wait until tomorrow for Asensio, hopefully he’ll be in the squad too. Dean Huijsen isn’t ready yet, but we’re hoping he’ll be available soon.”

Xabi Alonso on Franco Mastantuono

“Franco Mastantuono is also in the squad.”

Xabi Alonso on Bellingham and his tactical adaptation

“No, not at all. I have very good communication with Jude Bellingham, a very good relationship. He’s a world-class player, but he has that desire to improve, that desire to learn, to know, to be more efficient with the great potential he has, and I like those players who have that curiosity and that initiative to come and ask what we can do better. He fits into different profiles, at different heights, because he’s very complete, and he also has to know, we also have to know what’s going on around him, not just him, but what’s around him.”

Xabi Alonso on Mastantuono’s condition

“He’s better. Pubalgia requires its phases, but he’s been able to train for almost ten days without discomfort. The thing about groin injuries is that you’re only half fit and you were suffering a little on the pitch, so we decided to stop before we had to prolong the situation where he wasn’t feeling good, and now he’s training without discomfort, without pain, so he’s back to being one of the team and has to get back into the swing of things.”

Xabi Alonso on Alexander-Arnold’s progress

“I think we’re going to see an even better Trent. It’s certainly very positive that after his injury he was able to play 90 minutes against Elche and 90 against Olympiakos. We need him. It’s his first year, he’s only been here a few months and it’s normal for him to be adapting, and he’s happy with how he’s starting to feel. I think he’s also demanding. He’s played at the very top level, and we want to see that. We have to support him and Eduard in this huge change for him, but it’s very good news, especially that he feels it.”

Xabi Alonso on Ferland Mendy’s performance against Olympiacos

“Very good, it left me with a very good impression because until the other day it was the first match since we’ve been here that we played with Ferland Mendy. I had seen him a lot, I knew about his qualities and after a long injury he was a bit of an unknown quantity, but we didn’t know at what level he would be able to compete and he competed very well. Given the circumstances of his injuries, it shows how competitive he is. He’s a great defender, he gives you a lot of stability, a lot of security, and for him to come back and feel like that… I think he got injured in the Copa del Rey final, if I’m not mistaken, and it’s very, very good news.”

Xabi Alonso on the offensive connection

“They’re very good at that, but they’ve also done it in other phases, in other matches. There will be matches where we come up against low blocks and we have to attack, and that connection, that quality they have, that understanding they have, how well they get on, you can see it on the pitch, and the other day it was very impressive and it was a shame that Vinicius couldn’t score the goal.”