Xabi Alonso praised the collective effort of his Real Madrid side after their narrow 1-0 win at Getafe, highlighting the performances of Vinicius Junior, Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga in what he described as a demanding match on a difficult pitch.
The Real coach praised Vinicius for his influence on the pace of the game and his ability to commit fouls in key areas.
“Yes, he [Vinicius] had a good impact on the game. The mistakes he made, the changes… all that gave us an advantage which we took. He is a good example that everyone is important,” Alonso said, highlighting the Brazilian’s perseverance and energy.
Guler also received a special mention from Alonso, who highlighted the youngster’s growing importance in Madrid’s attack.
“Arda also had a good impact on the match. He found Mbappé well, and that was important in a match where we struggled to find rhythm, with constant stops,” explained the coach.
Alonso was also impressed by Camavinga’s ability to adapt, particularly in his role on the left side.
“I really liked Eduardo’s performance. I think that in the first half the imbalance came from the left side, where we attacked well. On this pitch, you have to adapt, and Eduardo did very well to achieve that,” he added.
The Spanish coach provided an update on his team’s physical condition, confirming minor concerns for David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois.
“Alaba’s calf was straining and we didn’t want to take any risks. We will assess him tomorrow. Courtois took a blow,” Alonso said.
Reflecting on the overall performance, Alonso highlighted the team’s mental strength in securing three points in an away test match.
“Coming to Getafe is not easy. You have to be competitive and show yourself to be superior. It may not be the best match, but we stayed focused and did what we had to do. This victory allows us to start the week with a lot of energy.
“Situations like this shouldn’t happen against nine players. We lost the ball and we couldn’t cover the numerical advantage properly. But I’m here with three points and we’ll analyze everything. We shouldn’t have conceded this chance, but Courtois did his job.”
