New Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has made it clear that all players — even attacking stars like Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe — must contribute on defense.
Speaking to reporters ahead of their Club World Cup fixture against RB Salzburg, Alonso said that he expects a full team effort when it comes to defending. He noted that without everyone working together defensively, it would be difficult to get the results they want.
“What I am certain of is that we need and want everyone to defend — the 11 players on the pitch have to be involved defensively,” Alonso said.
The Spanish coach, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the end of last season, is looking to bring a more unified style of play to the team. Ancelotti often struggled to get the front line to support the team defensively, which may have cost them success in key matches. Last season, despite strong attacking performances, Madrid failed to bring home major silverware.
Alonso pointed out that key players like Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Kylian Mbappe must understand the team’s pressing tactics. He added that the defense also needs to move up in line with the rest of the squad.
Mbappe, who joined Madrid after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, had an impressive start to his career at the club. He scored 43 goals across all competitions in his debut season. However, he will miss the match against Salzburg as he recovers from a stomach illness. Although he returned to training recently, Alonso said he is not fully fit to compete just yet.
“I was happy to see him on the (training) pitch, it was the first day he’s got his boots back on and has been running, he’s doing well, but not enough to play tomorrow with the level that we need,” Alonso said.
The coach also shared that Mbappe himself felt it was better to be fully ready for the Round of 16 instead of pushing to play too soon. “He said it himself when we spoke after training, he prefers to be ready for the last 16, he’s in the recovery process, he wasn’t perfect for tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Rodrygo, who stayed on the bench in Madrid’s recent 3-1 win over Pachuca, has faced transfer rumors. Alonso was quick to shut those down, stating that the Brazilian forward is still an important part of the team.
“He’s doing well, he’s enthusiastic, it was a technical decision (to bench him) the other day, but Rodrygo is still an important player, we will need him in this Club World Cup,” Alonso noted. “He’s a special player and he will have a big role at this tournament.”
