Alonso talks Bellingham, Mbappe, Rodrygo, Gonzalo, Kroos, future ahead of Athletic Club vs Real Madrid | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso finds himself under an immense amount of pressure as he gets set to lead Real Madrid against Athletic Club in La Liga on Wednesday.

With three draws in a row in the league and only one win in five games in all competitions, Los Blancos find themselves in a precarious position.

Real Madrid have seen Barcelona leapfrog them in the league table, and the gap at the top could rise to four points, given that the Catalans play Atletico Madrid later today.

Given the situation, there have been murmurs surrounding Alonso’s future at Real Madrid, but the Spanish tactician appeared to be in an upbeat mood at his press conference.

Kicking things off, Alonso spoke about how he and his team would approach the game against Ernesto Valverde’s team, saying:

“It’s a classic league match and there’s always a great atmosphere. We have to play with a lot of energy and focus. Time to train now, and then we’ll travel.”

Regarding the team’s poor form and how they can bounce back, the Basque manager remarked:

“These are things that happen in the locker room, about the unity we need and things to improve to be consistent in our play. How can we break this pattern? Tomorrow is a good opportunity.”

Talking about Toni Kroos’ recent words, when he backed the team to succeed and asked people to stop comparing this Real Madrid with the teams from the past, Alonso noted:

“He’s experienced all kinds of situations, he knows the demands. These are processes and it’s important to face them. I have complete confidence in the team and in the short term is tomorrow’s match.”

One of the major issues for Alonso has been getting the best out of Jude Bellingham while fitting him into the team along with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Arda Guler. Talking about the Englishman’s form, the manager said:

“I’m with him every day, and I see he’s eager. He shares everyone’s feeling after not winning. The pressure is immense. Jude is part of that, and we all have to help each other.”

Regarding the midfield puzzle and what was not clicking for his team, he added:

“We’ve lost some quality and energy, we’re all affected. Jude and Guler have played together, they can do it and they will again.”

Alonso has been unable to find the best fit for Bellingham. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

On why the midfield was not performing as well as in some matches in the past, Alonso explained:

“Without organization it’s impossible. In the second half against Girona we improved a lot and we couldn’t score that second goal. It all comes down to controlling the conviction and the defensive phase.

“If you don’t attack well you don’t defend well, and vice versa.”

The chat then moved towards his future at Real Madrid and the speculations about doubts growing over his continuity. However, Alonso insisted that he was only focused on the job at hand.

“Those aren’t questions for me. My focus is on tomorrow’s game, preparing for it. There’s still a long way to go and everything is even. There’s a lot left to play for and things can change a lot. We’re struggling, but that’s the reality,” he said.

On whether he was starting to get the feeling that people were starting to doubt and question him, Alonso replied:

“We are where we are, in La Liga and the Champions League. We live with the demands and criticism. We focus on what we can improve and winning matches to be where we want to be in April/May.”

When asked if his job was on the line tomorrow, Alonso noted that he had the support of club president Florentino Perez, saying: “Yes, the talks are very positive and we want to turn the situation around.”

Alonso also touched upon the lack of minutes being afforded to striker Gonzalo Garcia, saying:

“He’s not getting the playing time he perhaps deserves. Kylian wasn’t at the World Cup, but now he is. Gonzalo knows where he is, he knows the demands, and we need him.”

Talking about the team attitude and the impact of the schedule on the players, he added: “The schedule is demanding for everyone. Maintaining a high level is always difficult, but we can improve.

“The pressure, consistency… It all comes from having a good feeling. We want to reach that point.”

Alonso had a few words about Ronald Araujo and his situation at Barcelona, with the defender taking time off to improve his mental health.

“We have to respect the needs of each player. They are people and there is a lot of responsibility. It seems logical to me,” the Real Madrid boss said.

Rodrygo’s future has once again been dragged into question, with the forward now going 30 games without scoring a goal. But, Alonso insisted that he trusts the Brazilian.

“Trust him and wait. This can change with a goal. He has quality; he’s played in some matches and not in others. Nobody doubts his quality, and he has the right attitude. We’re waiting for him. He needs that good feeling after a good match,” he said.

Concluding, Alonso also hailed the impact and importance of Kylian Mbappe for this Real Madrid, not only for his goals but also the leadership.

“He’s been in Madrid for a season now, and he’s performing very well. He helps the team a lot. We’ll see at the end of the season; it’s not just the goals, he does a lot of leadership and influence. That’s very important on a daily basis,” he concluded.

Source: MARCA