‘People should sacrifice ego’ – Actual’s new period underneath Xabi Alonso

For Actual Madrid, the actual begin of this new period got here with a painful defeat.

The 4–0 thrashing by Paris St-Germain within the Membership World Cup semi-finals has reset the counter to zero. Supervisor Xabi Alonso insisted that was the top of final season. From right here, all the things is judged on how shortly the crew improves, and the way urgently it adapts to its new coach’s concepts.

Seven years after he started teaching pre-teens, Alonso takes cost on the Santiago Bernabeu. The Basque, who performed underneath managers as completely different as Javier Clemente, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, has absorbed classes from each college of thought.

His profession plan was rigorously drawn. If issues went unsuitable at Bayer Leverkusen, he would return to Actual Sociedad’s first crew. If not, then Bayern Munich, Liverpool – a job he nonetheless desires of – or Actual Madrid. Now he arrives on the Bernabeu with the possibility of a lifetime.

Those that labored with him say that when Alonso speaks, you pay attention: “He makes you see the sport extra clearly, as if it slows down.”

Tactically, the Membership World Cup supplied a preview. Final week’s 4-0 pleasant win in opposition to Tirol in Austria confirmed it: Madrid will play a extra positional sport, in step with fashionable traits, the place people should sacrifice ego for the collective.

The excessive press is designed not solely to win the ball again but in addition to defend Vinicius Jr and Mbappe from fixed defensive duties. However right here lies the massive query: for a membership that has all the time glorified particular person expertise, will the celebs settle for that the crew comes first? And if they do not, will Alonso dare to bench them?