Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal talked in an interview with Cadena SER where he talked about his recovery from ACL surgery and the team’s new era under Xabi Alonso.
“It was a necessary change. Ancelotti’s cycle had come to an end, we need fresh sap. With Xabi well, taking on concepts. We have a long way to go to reach our ceiling,” said Carvajal when asked about why Real Madrid decided to appoint
Xabi Alonso as the coach.
“This is all very objective. It’s going to be better if you win and, if you don’t win, it’s going to be shit. We have more discipline with schedules, with putting the video out. You can’t rely on the result, but they shape the development of players. The pressure? It asks us to press higher; the team is bringing the lines closer together. It is true that we are pressing more as a team now,” he explained.
Carvajal was also asked about his battle for the spot with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“He’s a good kid, he has integrated very well. A tough competition and the two of us will try to compete for the position. For me it’s good. Many times my best spells of form have come with serious competition and this year I’m approaching it the same way. We’re two players with different qualities and that suits the coach. A blessed problem for the club and for the manager. It happened to me with Danilo too. He started playing with Benítez and I managed to take the spot. I’m taking it as naturally as possible. We’ll see over the year how many minutes each of us plays,” he said.
The Spanish defender concluded his interview by explaining Xabi Alonso’s coaching philosophy when it comes to making rotations during the season.
“The coach has the idea of having 17 or more players rotating, so that we are all fresh. We all have to understand that the player who comes on for half an hour is going to be more important, because he’s fresh. In the end you have to work for the matches and that last half hour a player who isn’t a starter and is pissed off can be harmful, when he can still be decisive. For a player not to feel indispensable is good for the team and for everyone,” he said.
