Xabi Alonso has returned to his home country, 11 years since he played his final match for Real Madrid. Alonso came to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who has just been assigned to the Brazilian national team.
"I feel very happy at this roof. The connection between me and Real Madrid has never gone away. When I arrived at the centre of Valdebebas, I felt like I had been reborn" - Xabi Alonso shared at his first press conference in his new position.
A few minutes before the press conference, Alonso attended the signing ceremony with president Florentino Perez. Accompanying the young strategist was his family and colleagues from Bayer Leverkusen to Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso is ready to embark on a new journey.
The press conference to introduce Xabi Alonso had the participation of 130 journalists. The number of journalists and reporters present is as large as if Real Madrid are preparing to enter the final of an important tournament. That shows the media's interest in Xabi Alonso.
In total, Alonso answered 19 questions. There are 2 questions about Luka Modric. Modric left the team right before Alonso's debut, sparking rumors that the 43-year-old strategist no longer needs the Croatian star. However, Alonso has objected to the information.
Alonso also faces many questions about the upcoming tactics to be applied at Real Madrid. However, he also avoids this issue because this is not the right time as he does not know how the players in the team will adapt.
When asked about Jude Bellingham, Alonso considered the English star to be a pure midfielder. When mentioning Rodrygo's future, Alonso did not confirm anything. He only said that there would be talks with all the players as soon as possible.
Certainly in the coming months, especially after the FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid will have to shop to facilitate Xabi Alonso's new plan. Los Blancos' current squad has revealed too many problems after a season without a trophy.
"My job is to improve every aspect of the team. I want to share a vision of this issue with the club. This is not a requirement, it is a desire to improve things for the better" - Xabi Alonso shared.
Although it was just one of Alonso's statements on his debut day, it was Carlo Ancelotti's failure to reach a consensus last season, indirectly causing the team's performance to be unsatisfactory. If Alonso can be proactive in his transfer plan, it will be his first great success against Ancelotti.
In his first statements about Real Madrid, Alonso was more frugal than the media expected. However, this is necessary when this young strategist has not yet started practical work.
This short interview and prose is similar to Xabi Alonso's personality. With the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in mind, Alonso will have very little time to prove his ability after 2 successful years with Leverkusen.
