Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso spoke to the media after their 1-0 loss to Liverpool on Tuesday night. He was asked for his opinion on Real Madrid’s lack of intensity, to which he said: “We didn’t have that feeling. The match was demanding, with a high tempo. Perhaps we lacked a bit of attacking threat in the final third. The second half was about small details, and we started giving away some fouls. Tibu was holding the line; that goal gave them the advantage, and then we struggled a bit. There’s
nothing to criticize the team for. We can recover these points.”
Alonso on the match
“It was a close match, with moments, especially in the second half, those 15 minutes, where we conceded a corner, a foul, a direct free kick… they demanded a lot from you, and in the end, the goal came. But it was an intense match, with an even first half, where we gradually improved. And in the second half, everything was very tight, a matter of small details. Those somewhat unnecessary fouls caused us to lose the initiative.
“But the match was even, with some key differences. There was a moment when they really had it going their way… and there are many ways to lose. Today’s loss was very different from the one at the Wanda Metropolitano. Today, we gave it our all, we competed, the attitude was good. We were lacking a few things that we’ll have to improve for the future, because there will surely be more matches like this. But today was the toughest of the Champions League group stage.”
Alonso on four midfielders
“We thought Arda could cut inside, stretching Fede out. Then we changed our minds, because Arda had a good touch inside. These are decisions you make during the game.”
Alonso on lack of creativity
“It was difficult for us to get into the final third. They were dropping deep, and in the box, it was hard to create danger, but it was a game that required hard work, gradually gaining ground, and then it came down to the details. In the end, it went their way.”
Alonso on whether this is his best XI
“These are decisions we’re making, and the players are in good form. It’s November. We’re going to have a demanding phase. They were working well today. Today there were things that were working and others that need improvement.”
Alonso on highs and lows
“I don’t think we’ll be playing with peaks and valleys. The match at the Metropolitano wasn’t a good one, but we have to be consistent in our performance, our approach, and our standards. We don’t want to be stuck in a rut because that kind of pressure creates instability. Today we suffered a defeat in a close and competitive match, and we have to learn from it.”
Alonso on breaking down Liverpool’s defense
“We couldn’t break through their last line of defense to create clear chances in the box. Fede was carrying a knock, so we substituted him. We wanted to create more threats with Trent and Rodrygo. We tried different combinations. Today we were lacking a little bit overall, and some details went against them.”
Alonso on pressing
“For me, the most worrying thing is that we have to learn. In those moments when they’re pressing, we have to hold on and not give away those fouls and corners. It was a very intense match.”
Alonso on the midfield problem
“We wanted to bring them together and find a more free-roaming player. Gravenberch has been marking Bellingham very closely. We improved as the first half went on, but we lacked a bit of a threat in the box.”
Alonso on versatility
“We have players who can play in different positions: Camavinga, Güler, Valverde… It depends on the match, the player’s form; we have options and we can play with a different type of player than just a winger. These are options we have in the squad and we have to evaluate them match by match.”
Alonso on fouls
“That’s the part where we conceded the most and gave them those opportunities. I think they were avoidable on our part. They’ve put us under too much pressure; I wanted to put them under a bit more pressure later on. They’ve put us under a lot of pressure because we’ve given away too many fouls.”
