Xabi Alonso could not hide his excitement about the chemistry forming between Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr after Real Madrid’s dramatic 4-3 win over Olympiacos that was reported by SoftFootball. He pointed to their understanding as something that has been growing game by game.
Alonso, in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, stressed that the connection between the pair is not new and has shown up in several matches already.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Xabi Alonso: I’m very happy with the Mbappé-Vini Jr connection. They are very good at that, but they’ve done it in other matches too.
That connection, quality, and how well they get along is evident on the pitch.
He said their quality and the way they get along is easy to see on the pitch. He also mentioned that Vinícius was unlucky to have his goal ruled out, calling it a typical finish from the Brazilian.
This came only a few days after Mbappé openly praised Vinícius and backed Alonso’s leadership in a message reported and after the Frenchman earned a spot in the Champions League Team of the Week for his four-goal display.
The manager also confirmed that Vinícius had apologised for his reaction during El Clásico. Alonso described it as a good step because it showed that both sides want calmness and clarity.
He explained that there is trust between them and that they talk before matches to understand what each is thinking. For him, that is how the best decisions are made.
Alonso explained how Mbappé and Vinícius can fit together tactically. He said Vinícius can work from wider areas, while Mbappé attacks more from inside. He insisted that nothing about their roles has to clash and that their individual quality helps the rest of the team function.
He also spoke about Mbappé’s influence in the dressing room. The four goals against Olympiacos took him to twenty-two this season, but Alonso highlighted his leadership and personality as the qualities that help bring unity to the squad.
As Madrid prepare for a tough match against Girona, the coach said they need another win to keep building momentum, especially with the team facing several injuries and a demanding run of away games.
