Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior let everyone in on one of the worst kept secrets of this season — he and former Bayern Munich star Xabi Alonso star were like oil and water during Alonso’s time at the helm of Los Blancos:
Addressing the friction and his growth under Alonso’s replacement Alvaro Arbeloa, Vinicius said: “My time with Xabi was a learning experience; I’ve improved as a person. I couldn’t connect with him, but I have a great connection with Arbeloa, and he’s given me a lot of confidence,
just like [Carlo] Ancelotti did.”
Alonso’s substitutions often elicited tense reactions from the Brazilian, who frequently displayed frustration, particularly in Real’s El Clasico win over Real Madrid in October. He added: “It wasn’t a pleasant moment, and I apologised to everyone. I like to play every game and I didn’t get to play any of them. Later, with a cool head, you can understand that you made a mistake. I’m young and every day is a new experience where you can improve.”
There were…a lot of factors in gauging why Alonso’s tenure at Real Madrid was short-lived, but at the forefront were the coach’s expectations for hard work and timeliness, along with his inability to get many of club’s stars to buy-in to what he was selling.
Breaking Real Madrid’s country club culture ultimately proved too hard for Alonso, who preferred a more workmanlike environment.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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