Real Madrid lost at home against Celta de Vigo and moved away from the leader Barcelona in LaLiga.
Xabi Alonso, coach of Real Madrid, wanted to downplay his team’s defeat at home against Celta Vigo (0-2) by ensuring that there are “only three points” and that “there is a lot of League left”, at the same time that he did not want to go into assessing, when asked about it, whether his position as coach is in danger.
“We are all angry, obviously. It was not the game or the result we wanted. From the beginning, Militao’s injury has hurt us, it has been difficult for us to recover emotionally. We were adjusting things but the game we wanted has not turned out. We have to turn the page as quickly as possible; there are only three points and there is a lot of League left. On Wednesday we have the ‘Champions’ match against City to get rid of this bad taste in our mouths,” he declared at a press conference.
“It wasn’t what we expected. We planned the game to play with good rhythm and pushing against a good opponent. But we were missing things,” he continued.
A Xabi Alonso who was asked three times about his position as coach of Real Madrid. The first, regarding whether it sees the strength to reverse the situation, after two victories in seven games.
“Of course. All united, knowing that this is football and that we can reverse the situation. We can have a bad game at home, but we have to look ahead. Defeats in this club hurt a lot, but we have to look forward. Wednesday we have the best opportunity to get rid of this bad taste in our mouths,” he answered.
And, when asked if the position of coach of Real Madrid is at stake, he refused to answer and referred to “three points” at stake in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League match against Manchester City.
“We are playing for three points in ‘Champions’, in a competition in which we are in a good situation,” he answered.
“We think about the following. The moment after the defeat at home hurts, but we have to look forward together. Representing the club we represent. With pride and the necessary demand to look forward,” he insisted.
“We all take the blame, because we are together in the good times and the not so good times,” he said.
Some criticism after losing to Celta Vigo in a match in which Xabi Alonso was angry at the refereeing, after two of his players –Fran Garcia y Alvaro Carreras– were expelled.
“We have been unhinged by the referee’s decisions. I did not like the performance. The card to Álvaro Carreras is very debatable… it has thrown us out of control a little and it has taken us out a little in phases of the game. I did not like the refereeing,” he criticized.
In addition, he was concerned about injuries, after the last one during the Celta de Vigo match, Eder Militão in the hamstrings of the left leg.
“We are suffering with injuries. It has been difficult for us to react. Injuries are piling up. You need to be able to provide continuity, but the team wants to compete, wants to build bases, regardless of good or not so good moments, but we are on the path to do so,” he said.
On the other hand, he explained why he did not give the Argentine minutes Franco Mastantuono nor to Dani Ceballos -both chaining three games in a row on the bench without participating.
“Franco is getting back into shape after the pubalgia. He has to work and train more, he is getting closer to being able to play,” he said.
“Dani Ceballos, in the first half with the change of Militao, then we opted for more offensive players… It counts, of course, they are technical decisions,” he said.
EFE
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