Xabi Alonso spoke to the media ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Valencia on Saturday. He was asked about the whole Vinicius Jr situation, which, to Alonso, was resolved. He said: “We had a meeting
with everyone on Wednesday, and Vinicius was impeccable. He spoke sincerely, from the heart, and was very good. For me, that settles the matter.”
Alonso on the match against Valencia
“After a very positive first week, another demanding one is upon us. With two league matches and the Champions League. We want to finish this stretch with even more positive energy. And tomorrow we start against Valencia.”
Alonso on his exclusion from Vinicius Jr’s apology
“It was a very valuable, very positive statement. He demonstrated his honesty; he spoke from the heart. What he said was the most important thing, and I was very satisfied. The matter was closed on Wednesday.
“It was very positive… and we trained well yesterday. We’re all motivated, we’re all in the same boat.”
Alonso on whether Vini will get punished
“No, no retaliation.”
Alonso on whether Vinicius Jr has been his most challenging case
“I think I’ve already given enough explanations. I respect that your focus is there. It was finalized on Wednesday. We’ve had a very good week. What worries me is Valencia. I understand you, but please understand me.“
Alonso on whether he is worried about the Vini case happening again
“I think the team, and everyone, including Vinicius, is focused on what’s most important. Everyone wants to be on the pitch. The focus is the same. We want to proceed safely.”
Alonso on Liverpool
“I’m not thinking about Tuesday, but about tomorrow. Thinking about Valencia. You can drop points in the Champions League. But my focus is on Valencia-Rayo. Valencia won at the Bernabéu last year. Rayo prepares its teams well. They’ll be on high alert for the match. Because after a big win, sometimes you let your guard down a bit.”
Alonso on Dani Carvajal’s injury
“Carva played 20 minutes, he did very well, he competed… and on Monday morning it was a surprise to receive that call from the doctor. We’ll definitely miss him. And since it seemed we’d be counting on him… We think seven or eight weeks. We’re waiting for him.”
Alonso on Mbappe’s minutes
“I’m always concerned about not pushing the players too hard. You also have to be aware of the effort required, the demands placed on them. There are times when you have to manage those moments. With Kylian, it’s been like that so far, but we’ll see what the future holds.“
Alonso on how important it was to win the Clásico
“Before the Clásico, we talked about how it was more valuable. A win of that magnitude was important for the team’s confidence. But we have to forget about it. We have to keep focusing on each match. If we let our preparation slip, we’ll drop points. And we don’t want that to happen. I’m fine.”
Alonso on whether he has watched the Clásico again
“Of course. Many of the things we planned worked out well. The team showed great strength. And we were really eager. You could see that in the guys. They were anticipating the situation. When we’re strong, we take the initiative.”
Alonso on how the dressing room is managed
“Being myself. The most important thing is to be authentic, not to try to pretend. Always think about what’s best for the team. Always maintain good relationships, based on respect, but understanding that not everyone is the same. You have to have emotional intelligence.”
Alonso on Endrick’s minutes
“I would have liked him to have had more playing time. He’s training well, but those circumstances need to be right.”
