Softfootball reports that Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso addressed the media on Monday ahead of Los Blancos’ La Liga fixture against Levante at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Tuesday night, despite being hinted in the games preview as clear favourites, that game is still expected to pose a high level of difficulty for the Spanish giants
Alonso acknowledged in an interview publish on the teams official Website that the challenge his side will face despite Levante’s lowly league position with the Madrid boss emphasizing on the importance of consistency.
He also touched on the Ballon d’or event, indirectly confirming that the rumours of Real Madrid not attending the ceremony is true, the Spaniard revealed that he is not really interested in who wins the Award as he is not a member of the Jury and he just like every is looking forward to who wins the Award between Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele.
Softfootball even reported that Yamal is planning to host a party should he emerge winner of the Ceremony, and since his players are not nominated for the award the Spanish gaffer revealed his focus is now solely on Levante.
He said:
We’ll see what happens. I watch a lot of football, but I’m not on the jury and I don’t have to vote. We’ll see who wins after the ceremony. I haven’t thought about it too much, I’m thinking about Levante.
Any away game is difficult. Levante are playing well, not only because of their last victory in Girona, but also against Betis, and in the first league game, they caused Barcelona a lot of difficulties. They have a great manager, Calero, who has been very competitive at all the clubs he has been at. Tomorrow, we have to do a lot of things well: play with quality, with tempo, with focus, and be prepared to do what we have to do and work hard throughout the match.
We’re improving, we’re on the right track. We’re still in the process of building the foundations and pillars. We need to be more consistent in our repetition. The other day we put in a strong, solid performance. We can improve, but that tells us we’re doing things right. It’s only six games, it’s nothing. We must have the ambition to want more and be hungry. This year we want to collect a lot of points, and to do that we have to win a lot of games.
Alonso also dismissed concerns about players’ reactions to substitutions. He however reserved praise for youngster Carreras, who has impressed since breaking into the squad. When asked about his attacking options, Alonso was careful not to single out a preferred front three. stressing the importance of all his players.
Looking ahead, Alonso hinted Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga could start, noting both are in good shape after returning to training.
I’ve been a player myself, and when you’re substituted, it’s not the nicest moment either. I take it in my stride and treat it as normal. We talk about things. I like to be close to the players and talk about how they felt after the match. I’m not making a big deal out of a small thing.
I was optimistic (about Carreras) because I’d been following him for a while, but his personality and competitiveness have pleasantly surprised me. He makes very few mistakes, is very focused and has great technical and tactical skills. He’s very well-rounded. The instant impact he’s had is remarkable. We also have Fran, Alaba and Mendy who can play in that position, but his performance has been excellent so far.
After the match, I spoke with the players and they were all happy. They had a good feeling and were keen to continue improving. We need to work as a team and have a collective spirit in order to face the challenges ahead. Everyone understands the role we want for the team and everyone is contributing.
They (Bellingham and Camavinga) could be starters tomorrow. Anyone who is in the squad could be a starter. They have trained and played more and are in better shape.
We must keep going and be realistic at this stage. We’re still building, although the results help give us confidence that we’re on the right track. There are no secrets. The team has to play collectively so that everyone benefits. That’s going to be one of the important things this season.
(On the starting front three) That’s a very difficult question to answer. I’d get into trouble. We need them all, I’m happy. We can do even better. In the final third of the pitch, we need to evolve and keep trying to do different things. But we’re building a foundation, and that foundation will be solid for the rest of the season, and everyone is doing well. Some could’ve scored a few more goals than they have, and others are waiting for their first goal, but they’re eager to score.
The other day, we had possession, but we struggled to create more in the final third. We’ve talked about it and tried to correct what we can. Levante can press you and their forwards are in good form, and they have wingers who get forward well. We have to prepare for all phases of the game. The interpretation may be different.
Madrid enter the match with a perfect league record, but Alonso insists his side must stay grounded, as there are no secrets. the team have to play collectively so that everyone benefits.
