Alonso talks Vinicius, Mbappe, Camavinga, Carvajal, Endrick ahead of Real Madrid vs Valencia | OneFootball

Following their El Clasico triumph, Real Madrid return to action on Saturday night as they host Valencia in La Liga, hoping to further stretch their lead at the top.

The win over Barcelona meant that Xabi Alonso & co. opened up a five-point lead in the table, and with the Catalans not in action until Sunday, that gap could be widened to eight points to put the current champions under more pressure.

Leading up to the match, though, the talk has been dominated by Vinicius Jr.’s angry outburst at Alonso after his substitution in the Clasico, and the subsequent public apology issued by the player.

Naturally, it was one of the most discussed topics in the manager’s pre-match press conference today.

On the Vinicius case

Addressing what went down between the Brazilian international, himself, and the locker room after the incident, Alonso remarked:

“We had a meeting with everyone on Wednesday, and Vinicius was impeccable. He spoke honestly and was very good. For me, that settles the matter.”

Intriguingly, in his public apology, Vinicius mentioned his teammates, fans, club president Florentino Perez, but omitted Alonso’s name. On being asked about that, the manager replied:

“It was a very valuable, very positive statement. He demonstrated his honesty; he spoke from the heart. What he said was the most important thing, and I was very satisfied. The matter was closed on Wednesday.” 

On being probed again about his name being left out in the apology and whether it surprised him, Alonso tried to move on from the topic, saying:

“It was very positive; we trained well yesterday. We’re all eager and in the same boat.”

However, the press was relentless in their questions about Vinicius, asking Alonso if handling this issue was the most challenging thing he had faced so far in his managerial career.

Miffed by the line of questioning, the Basque tactician said: “I think I’ve already given enough explanations. I respect that your focus is there. It was finalised on Wednesday.

“We’ve had a very good week. What worries me is Valencia. I understand you, but please understand me too.”

No punishment for Vinicius. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The Real Madrid boss also made it clear that there will be no punishments for the 25-year-old attacker, saying: “No, no retaliation.”

On whether the chatter around his contract renewal has Vinicius distracted, the manager remarked: “He seems very focused and eager. He played a great game the other day.”

On Valencia game, El Clasico

Talking about the team’s mindset heading into the Valencia match, after their El Clasico success, Alonso said:

“After a very positive first week, another demanding one is upon us. With two league matches and the Champions League. We want to finish this stretch on a high note. Tomorrow we start against Valencia.”

On what it meant for the team to win the first Clasico of the campaign, he remarked: “Before the Clasico, we talked about how it was more valuable. A win of that magnitude was important for the team’s confidence. But we have to forget about it.

“We have to keep focusing on each match. If we let our preparation slip, we’ll drop points. And we don’t want that to happen. I’m fine.”

When asked if he had rewatched the Clasico, Alonso replied in the affirmative, saying: “Of course. Many of the things we planned worked out well. The team showed great strength. And we were really eager.

“You could see that in the guys. They were anticipating the situation. When we’re strong, we take the initiative.”

On the squad

The Real Madrid manager then explained his decision to tweak Eduardo Camavinga’s role in the Clasico, where the Frenchman was deployed on the right flank, saying:

“We knew it was a strength we possessed and that we could utilise it, not just for a specific strategy. Other days we’ll need a different approach, but given the opponent we faced, and due to upcoming events, that’s what we’ll need.

“It worked out well. Not only tactically, but also mentally. That’s the foundation for tactical success. The Clasico offers us valuable insights for the future.”

Regarding Kylian Mbappe’s brilliant form this season and what he asks of the ace forward, Alonso stated:

“He’s scored goals and he’ll keep scoring them. His daily routine is excellent. He’s handling it with great maturity, and that’s very important. Then we have to support the team so they can score goals.”

Unstoppable. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Mbappe has been one of the very few players that Alonso has not rotated this season, with the Frenchman pretty much being a permanent fixture throughout. On whether there is a concern about the attacker’s workload, the manager noted:

“I’m always concerned about not pushing the players too hard. You also have to be aware of the effort required, the demands placed on them.

“There are times when you have to manage those moments. With Kylian, it’s been like that so far, but we’ll see what the future holds.”

Providing an update on Dani Carvajal’s injury and time out, the manager said: “Carva played 20 minutes, he did very well, he competed… and on Monday morning it was a surprise to receive that call from the doctor.

“We’ll definitely miss him. And since it seemed we’d be counting on him… We think seven or eight weeks. We’re waiting for him.”

Regarding Endrick’s situation, with the player not featuring even once despite being fit and available for over a month, Alonso explained:

“I would have liked him to have had more playing time. The circumstances haven’t been right, he’s training well, but those circumstances need to be right.”

Amid reports that there is a rift between himself and some of the heavyweights in the squad, Alonso gave an insight into how he manages the dressing room, saying:

“Being myself. The most important thing is to be authentic, not to try to pretend. Always think about what’s best for the team.

“Always maintain good relationships, based on respect, but understanding that not everyone is the same. You have to have emotional intelligence.”

Concluding, Alonso spoke about how he and the team must move forward to ensure that the Vinicius situation does not repeat again, saying:

“I think the team, and everyone, including Vinicius, is focused on what’s most important. Everyone wants to be on the pitch. The focus is the same. We want to proceed safely.”

Source: AS