Xabi Alonso talks Vinicius, Yamal and Carvajal after Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona | OneFootball

Real Madrid were finally able to lift their curse against Barcelona, securing a 2-1 victory over their arch-rivals at Santiago Bernabeu.

It was a well-deserved win for Los Blancos, who were the better of the two sides by a long margin and have now taken a substantial lead at the top of the league table.

This is also Real Madrid’s first win over Barcelona after four back-to-back defeats in all competitions last season.

In the post-match press conference, Xabi Alonso was delighted with Real Madrid’s victory, while he also touched upon the topics of Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and many others.

What Alonso said after Real Madrid win over Yamal

Alonso began by highlighting the team’s mindset and what the win meant beyond just the three points, stating the players “needed this feeling.”

“I don’t know if it was extra, but the team was very motivated. We’d been talking about it beforehand, how important the game was.

“Not just for the three points, but for what a win could mean, for deserving it. I’m very happy for the lads. They needed that feeling of winning a big game. Their motivation was unwavering.”

He also touched on the significance of the victory in the context of the long season, emphasizing the need to build on the positive feeling.

“It’s important. You guys say it yourselves. It’s not just the three points. We know it’s still October and it’s early, and we have to row hard and work hard. But we wanted a good feeling, and that’s how it turned out. We need a lot of what we saw today.”

One of the match’s talking points was Vinicius Jr.’s visible anger after being substituted. When asked about the gesture, Alonso preferred to delay the discussion and focus on the win.

“I don’t want to lose focus on what’s important. These are things we’ll discuss. In the great game we had, Vini also contributed a lot.

There was a heated argument between Yamal and Vinicius. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

It’s an important victory, deserved, even if it’s short. We had chances, the penalty… It gives us the feeling of being a competitive team in big games,” he said.

When pressed again later about managing a player with Vinicius’s strong character, the coach reiterated his stance.

“There are different personalities within the squad. Now we’ll enjoy it, and when the time comes, we’ll talk in the locker room,” he said.

The match also saw heated moments, particularly a confrontation between Dani Carvajal and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. Alonso, though, downplayed the incident.

“The tension of the match, the very close score. We had chances to score. I handled it with the tension of the moment, but you can’t overthink it. It’s football. A lot has happened in those years. So what? (smiles). We have another game on Saturday.”

He later added that such arguments are normal in a Clásico, calling it a “healthy argument.”

“It was part of the tension of the moment. These arguments, brawls, have happened a lot in other Clásicos. It was a result of a lot of things going on. There’s no need to be scared of that healthy argument. And I’ve seen it there,” he added.

Regarding the tactical approach, Alonso explained that the goal was to compete and connect with the home fans.

“We were looking to field the best-prepared team to compete in an important match. We countered the opponent well. We worked with great conviction. The goal we conceded was a loss for us, and Kounde’s was a half-chance, but we created a lot.

A tactical masterclass from Xabi Alonso. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“The choice was for today, and I saw the boys and the stadium enjoying themselves. There was a great connection. It was important for the fans to see that their team could compete and win a big match. They enjoyed everything. This project is just beginning, but connection is fundamental. And I felt it today,” he said.

When asked if there was a specific plan to “cancel” Lamine Yamal, Alonso credited the entire team’s defensive effort.

“We tried to defend well as a team. We didn’t take any chances. We didn’t give up too many chances,” he said.

Finally, the manager had praise for individual performances, including Eduardo Camavinga and the resurgent Jude Bellingham.

On Camavinga: “And with Arda and Jude. Eduardo and them have that flexibility, that dynamism. We needed to dominate to try to break through the first line of pressure. And from there, attack situations. Eduardo had a great game.”

On Bellingham: “He’s had three very good games. We knew before the last break that he needed time, minutes, to get going. He’s been better than we expected after the last break. Jude is all about sensations, transmitting and engaging. That’s why he’s had some very good games.”