Alonso: Mbappe is one of the team leaders, Vinicius is in good shape and can start tomorrow

At 3:00 am on September 17, in the first round of the Champions League phase, Real Madrid will sit at the Bernabeu to face the Marseille. Before the game, Real Madrid coach Xavi Alonso attended the press conference and talked about some of the current situation of the team.

About this game

- We are about to compete in the Champions League and are extremely excited. For Real Madrid, this is more special, and the game at the Bernabeu is even more inspiring. Everyone is eager to take a step forward and continue to grow. Our opponents are excellent and hope to get a good start.

About what you said to the referee - "Don't let me think badly"

- The atmosphere was tense when we talked, I had expressed my thoughts at the post-match press conference, and now that's it, it's time to look forward to the Champions League.

About today's drug test

- We can't control it, training was postponed, but that's how it is, it's beyond our control.

Have you talked to Vinicius about his current status?

-Yes, we talked about it, just like I talked to a lot of people. Considering the game, after he made a lot of effort, I think he should be replaced in the 70th minute, and that was not the best time to attack. He made a sacrifice, and it was a team victory. He is in good shape and can start tomorrow.

Have there any changes in Kavajal?

—There is one thing that has never changed, that is, the competitive gene in him. He joined us in the 2013-14 season and already possessed this gene. He has been very important since he returned here from Leverkusen, he has paid a lot for us and we have won the Champions League. This has never changed. But his influence, his maturity, his responsibilities as a captain, everyone's respect for him, and his sense of responsibility for the team have all changed.

Now that he is in good health and can play, he has a very important positive impact on other players. It is crucial to have these leaders who can lead the team to flourish, and we need such a strong core to unite the team. Kavajal has always been happy with this, he has seen how others do it, and now it is his turn.

Do you think people have negative opinions after the payments paid to Negrera are exposed?

- I don't want the referee issue to be the only topic, we should focus on tomorrow's game. There has been enough discussion about what happened at the Arnoeta Stadium.

Ancelotti once said that he is more at ease with the referees in the European arena. What do you think?

- I am not worried about tomorrow's game, nor about the next La Liga match.

Did Mbappe expect this level to reach?

—During the Club World Cup, Mbappe was not in his best condition due to the influence of gastroenteritis. We have been working together and getting to know each other. Mbappe likes to understand the game very much and has excellent personal abilities. But it’s not just Mbappe, but Vinicius and Rodrigo, we need collective strength to make them perform differently. In this regard, the credit is not on me.

Does

Leave Real Madrid too early in the player era?

- No, those five years were very nervous, and it was very difficult for us to win the Champions League. We stopped at the semi-finals three times before winning the 10th Champions League trophy. We have all learned a truth: if you want to win, you must first experience failure, and sometimes you even have to experience many failures. After that, Zidane's era came, and it was an incredible few years. Now, there were not many players on the team at that time, and that period of history was unique. If I hadn't won that championship, I wouldn't have left calmly.

Do you think Mbappe is the team leader?

—No doubt, from the perspective of personality, experience, etc., he is one of them. When the teams gathered together, they knew who to follow, and Mbappe was one of the leaders.

About the club's complaint to FIFA

- Defending our interests is a legal act. If the club does this, it's OK.

Regarding discussing winning the Champions League with Mbappe - he is not in a hurry. What we see is a plan that is just starting out, with one of the goals being to win the Champions League as early as possible. Mbappe is part of this journey, but I don't think he is anxious. Today we talked about the significance of the Champions League, but we didn’t talk about May, we talked about today.

Becoming the most successful team is a motivation or a pressure?

—This is a fact, an honor, a motivation, and a responsibility you are willing to bear.

source:7m vn1