One of the most widespread analyzes in recent weeks about the collapse of Real Madrid’s results and play is that the Xabi Alonso of the fall is not the same as the Xabi Alonso of the summer: less daring, less interventionist in matches, kinder to the stars. The coach did not go that far this Tuesday in his speech, he did not admit as many self-amendments, but he recognized that he had changed in recent months.
“The dismissal.
The Basque, who spoke of how “relationships develop” and everyone gets to know each other better over time, explained that he had changed “as a coach, manager and management“We learn everything, what is going well, what is not going so well, what we can adjust, what I would like to do better,” added Alonso before traveling to Talavera in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey (9:00 p.m., La1).
“And I guess the same thing will happen to the players when they see the type of training, the coach, the decisions, the way we want to play,” he continued. “We are not pictures yet, we are evolving. We have been here for four or five months. There is still a way to go. If we are a better team in March, that will be good. And if we are a better team at the end of the season, even better”, concluded Xabi, who, during his worst evenings, did not stop appealing to the unexpected events of football and internal unity.
His recognition comes at a time when he continues to receive hugs and signs of support from players. From the capricious Vinicius in Vitoria, from Rodrygo and Bellingham on the evening of City, and from Tchouameni before crossing paths with Pep Guardiola, among others.
From the Xabi of September and October to the Xabi of November and December, the most obvious change is the one concerning Vinicius. In the 12 games leading up to the classic in which he suffered a serious setback from the Brazilian when he came on as a substitute, the winger started as a substitute in three games and was brought on five times before the 80th minute. However, in the 10 duels that followed this change of needle in the campaign, the seven only started once from the bench (Elche) and in two times he left the field before the 80th minute (Valencia and San Mamés), in both cases already with a result more than finished.
After the draw at Martínez Valero, which marked the third consecutive match without a victory, Xabi was asked by the club’s management to build bridges with the players. At the time, several key footballers’ dissatisfaction with him was already public, including Vinicius and Valverde. Bellingham, too, had grimaced at one point. In the next match, against Olympiacos in Athens, Alonso said the trip had produced “very positive and productive hours” within the group.
Alongside this process of approaching the heavyweights, Xabi made some good decisions with the group, such as giving two days of rest after the victory in San Mamés (there was only one training session before the defeat against Celta). This Monday there was also no session in Valdebebas and this Tuesday was the only day of joint work in the sports city before the cup match in Talavera, where there will be up to 10 absences: Carvajal, Trent, Militão, Mendy, Camavinga, Mbappé, Valverde, Rüdiger (forced the last matches), Ceballos (gastroenteritis) and Brahim (Cup of Africa).
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