Xabi Alonso spoke to the media ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Levante on Tuesday. He was asked about Eduardo Camavinga, his chances of starting and how he sees the Frenchman, to which he said: “[Camavinga
and Bellingham] could start, yes. They’ve already trained more. I’m a bit cautious about him because he’s only been here a short time. I know him from watching him, from how he interprets the game. He has enormous potential, a lot of qualities, and there’s a place for him within the project. He’s eager, he’s willing.”
Alonso on Levante
“Any outing is difficult, and they’re competitive, as is their coach. Tomorrow we’ll have to do many things well: play with quality, pace, and focus.”
Alonso on whether he spoke to Vinicius Jr after Espanyol
“The other day, everyone was happy… with the win and the feeling. And that’s what we need: to be a team. Everyone understands the role we want for the team, that we have to contribute.”
Alonso on players being angry publicly
“I was a player, and when they traded me… it wasn’t the best time. I took it normally, naturally. I don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Alonso on Alvaro Carreras
“I was optimistic, but his personality and competitiveness have pleasantly surprised me. He makes very few mistakes and has a great mentality. It’s surprising how quickly he’s impacted that position. We also have Fran, David and Ferland for that position. But his performance has been excellent.”
Alonso on the key to success
“Results help you build confidence along the way. But there are no secrets. Keep the team united. They must play collectively so everyone benefits.”
Alonso on the trident he likes most
“This is a tough one to answer, I’d be in trouble. I’m happy, and we need everyone. We need to improve in some areas, that’s clear. But there’s a foundation that’s being built, and it’s going to be solid for the rest of the season. Some could have scored more goals, others are waiting for the first… but everyone is eager.”
Alonso’s assessment of the team so far
“We’re doing better, but we’re still in the process of building. We played a solid, solid game the other day. And that tells us about the good things we’re doing. We’ve only been here for a short time, almost nothing… and we must have more ambition. Be hungry. We want a lot of points, and to do that, we must win a lot of games.”
Alonso on the Ballon d’Or
“We’ll see what happens. I watch a lot of football, but it’s not my thing; I’m not on the jury, so I don’t have to vote. We’ll see who the winner is after the ceremony, but… I haven’t thought too much about it, only Levante.
“We have a match against Levante tomorrow. It’s a league match, and I think the title will come down to a lot of points this year. Tomorrow’s match will be very important. I’m not focused on the Ballon d’Or, only on Levante.”
Alonso on not having many chances against Espanyol
“The other day we struggled to find more in the final third, but we’ve talked and tried to correct what we can do. We have to prepare for every phase of a match. Data is data, but the interpretation can be different.”
