Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has declared that his team are still working out where they are going following a heavy defeat to city rivals Atletico Madrid. The Basque manager pointed out that the season was only 58 days old, and that the issues that plagued them during their 5-2 defeat in the derby were not purely down to attitude.
Alonso’s side have traveled nearly 6,000km across from Madrid to Almaty for their second Champions League fixture, a trip only outstripped by Benfica being visited by Kairat. However Alonso was keen not to allow his side to use this as an excuse for any sign of standards slipping.
“You have to adapt. We’ve changed the usual roadmap a bit, but in football, the smartest is the one who knows how to adapt best. It’s just another game, and that’s not an impediment or an excuse.”
Los Blancos will be heavy favourites to get back on track against Kairat, but are also facing something of an unknown quantity in the first Kazakh side to make it to the Champions League group stage.
“Play well, press well, defend well, attack well… With our form, with whoever comes out, it will be a competitive match. Kairat are well organised and has good momentum. We’ll have to take it seriously from the start.”
Alonso: ‘Every game tells me things, we have lots of options’
Diego Simeone sent his team out to play aggressively and exploit the wide areas, to which Alonso and his players had little answer on Saturday.
“Every game tells me things. I like to analyse ourselves to see how we prepared and how things went, so I can make decisions for the future. With the players we have, we can do other things. We have many options in the middle, and with the wingers too. The other day didn’t go as we expected, but for what’s coming up, we have many options.”
Controversially, Jude Bellingham was handed his first start since shoulder surgery in July, but did not have the desired impact in the middle of the pitch.
“I like to analyse and think ahead after every match. With the players we have, we’ll have options depending on what we need. We’ll need Jude, Arda, Fede, Edu, Dani, Aurelien… We have plenty of options in the middle, and wingers too. The other day didn’t go as we expected, but for what’s coming up, we have plenty of options.”
‘We’re still defining what we want to be’
After the derby defeat at the Metropolitano, Alonso focused some of the criticism of his side did not compete properly. That was far from the only thing that Alonso felt went wrong though.
“It’s not just the attitude; I think it was the pace and tactical aspects that we’ve analysed. I don’t just explain everything with attitude; that’s simplistic. We need to improve things at the game level. We didn’t compete well enough. That’s part of the adaptation process. We’ve been here for about 58 days. It’s hurt, but now we’re in Champions League mode.”
The former Bayer Leverkusen manager has been keen to stress that his side are still in construction after a short preseason and a busy summer.
“I didn’t see a lack of connection. I’ve seen that connection exist. It’s essential to build a footballing vision and a team spirit. We’re still taking steps forward. Maybe to take two steps forward, you have to take one step back. We’re still defining what we want to be like, and we’re going to improve on that.”
Alonso facing first major test
Atletico Madrid were in many ways the first litmus test of Alonso’s progress with Real Madrid, but now for the first time he will face real pressure. Although Kairat should be a more comfortable opponent, Alonso will want performances in their next two games before the international break that will allow Los Blancos to categorise it as a one-off.
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