Xabi Alonso talks Mbappe, Vinicius, Guler, Camavinga after Getafe 0-1 Real Madrid

Two late red cards for Getafe helped Real Madrid win 1-0 at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez last night in a match that could easily have ended in a draw.

The Whites struggled to break through the hosts’ rearguard, and that’s not surprising given the tight defensive lines and low blocking.

Kylian Mbappe’s goal in the 80th minute, however, made the difference between the two teams. The Whites reclaimed La Liga pole position ahead of the weekend Classic.

Alonso press conference

Speaking to the media after the grueling encounter, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso admitted the match had turned out to be far more difficult than expected and praised his team for overcoming the obstacle.

“It was a tough, demanding match. You have to know how to compete and prepare for a match that was not going to be the most attractive.”

“The team was up front and knew their job. We were focused and did what we needed to do. We’re heading into next week with good energy.” he added.

Speaking about the important role Vinicius Jr. played on the night after coming on in the 55th minute, Alonso said:

“Vini Jr. had a big impact. We talked this morning about how he could be important early on or later. He caused problems for the opposition and drew cards for them.”

“It’s important for everyone to know that they can be important whatever their role, and today Vini Jr. was important,” he added.

Although Real Madrid did not take the lead for long, the winning goal ultimately came from the usual suspect – Kylian Mbappe – who continued his superb season in front of goal.

“We are very satisfied with Kylian’s performance. He was decisive with his goals and his involvement.”

“Goals get you points, but we need everyone because there’s a lot going on in the background” he added.

Arda Guler started on the bench that evening, but came on after the hour mark and continued to make a tangible difference in terms of creativity. The manager praised the young Turkish star for his appearance.

“Arda also had a good impact. We found him between the lines and he found Kylian well there. The goal was crucial because there were saves, and it was difficult.”

“Arda and Bellingham can play in both positions. They have different profiles. They can alternate and when Arda turns and makes a pass to the second line, he is decisive”, he added about the battle between Guler and Bellingham.

The coach also took stock of the situation of Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba who both showed signs of discomfort during the match.

“I think Courtois is fine and Alaba’s calf was straining and we didn’t want to take any risks. We will assess him further tomorrow.”

Giving his thoughts on Eduardo Camavinga’s performance against Getafe given it was his first start for the club after returning from injury, the coach said:

“I liked it a lot and in the first half we created the gap on the left wing. We needed more in the final third.”

“On this pitch, you have to adapt well to the second ball, and they only created danger from set pieces. He gave a very complete performance,” he added.

Despite being numerically inferior, Getafe created a huge chance in the final minutes of the match and only a special save from Courtois allowed Real Madrid to maintain three points.

“These are situations that shouldn’t happen at nine. We didn’t close well and we didn’t adjust our marking. Courtois was crucial in the end.” » said the director on the situation.

“He did his job and we come away with three points, that’s what we wanted. It’s over now, I have three points and tomorrow I will start thinking about the next game.” he added.

Finally, Alonso spoke about the massive week ahead, especially with El Clasico just a week away and Juventus in midweek.

“I’m still thinking about today’s intense match. We had to roll up our sleeves. It wasn’t the best game to play or watch, but from tomorrow we will start thinking about Juve.”

Source: Real Madrid website