Xabi Alonso’s New Real Madrid Play Style ‘Threatens’ Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso reportedly wants Real Madrid to adopt a “constant focus” on pressing that demands much more effort from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.

One of Real Madrid’s glaring weaknesses in Carlo Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge was their reluctance to press after losing the ball. Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior especially came under fire for their disinterest in tracking back, as well as their overall subpar work-rates compared to the likes of Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde.

Alonso, though, is eager to instill a greater intensity and balance to his new team that will set Real Madrid up for success after a season without a major trophy. AS report the Spaniard sees pressing as the “most urgent” issue for Los Blancos, one he hopes to correct at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.

The new manager no longer wants Real Madrid to be a team that just drops deep without the ball; so many times last season, the Spanish giants were content to let their opponents enjoy prolonged spells of possession, even if it meant pinning themselves in their own half. There was little urgency to win back the ball, especially if it required extra running.

In fact, after almost every big defeat in Real Madrid’s 2024–25 campaign, statistics highlighted just how little Los Blancos ran compared to their competition. In perhaps their most important game of the season, Real Madrid covered 101.2 kilometers (62.8 miles) compared to Arsenal’s 113.9 kilometers (70.8 miles) in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The then-defending European champions suffered an embarassing 3–0 loss at the Emirates.

Real Madrid’s lackadaisical nature off the ball will not fly under Alonso. The pressure will be on Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior to help the team press and fight back when dispossessed.

Alonso is expecting his superstar forwards to be aggressive “immediately after losing the ball”. The former Bayer Leverkusen boss wants to see “hunger” from his players in all facets of the game, not just when they have the ball at their feet.

Real Madrid have the entire summer to work on Alonso’s new tactics in the United States before they begin their campaign to steal the Spanish crown from Barcelona. All eyes will be on Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, who scored a combined 64 goals last season, to see how they respond to their new manager’s demands.