“ Individuals must sacrifice the ego ‘- the new era of Real under Xabi Alonso

For Real Madrid, the real start of this new era came with a painful defeat.

The 4-0 beat by Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup reset the zero counter. Manager Xabi Alonso insisted that it was the end of last season. From here, everything is judged on the speed with which the team improves and how it urgently adapts to the ideas of its new coach.

Seven years after starting to train the pre-adolescents, Alonso takes care of the Santiago Bernabeu. The Basque, who played under managers as different as Javier Clemente, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, absorbed lessons from all schools of thought.

His career plan was carefully drawn up. If things went wrong with Bayer Leverkusen, he would return to Real Sociedad’s first team. Otherwise, then Bayern Munich, Liverpool – a job he always dreams of – or Real Madrid. Now, he arrives at the Bernabeu with the luck of a life.

Those who worked with him say that when Alonso speaks, you listen to: “He makes you see the game more clearly, as if it slows down.”

Tactically, the club World Cup offered an overview. The 4-0 friendly victory last week against Tirol in Austria confirmed it: Madrid will play a more positional game, in accordance with modern trends, where individuals must sacrifice the ego for the collective.

The high press is designed not only to win back the ball but also to protect Vinicius JR and Mbappe from constant defensive tasks. But here lies the big question: for a club that has always glorified individual talent, will the stars accept that the team passes first? And if they don’t, Alonso will dare the bench?