Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso spoke to the media ahead of their game against Celta Vigo on Sunday. He was asked about Kylian Mbappé, as well as his similarities to Cristiano Ronaldo, to which Alonso said: “Kylian is on his way to making history at Real Madrid, just like Cristiano did. His ambition, his statistics... he’s among the chosen few. Working with him day-to-day is great; his desire to influence others, his contagious energy, is something he shares with Cristiano. There, I see similarities. Cristiano is Cristiano, and Kylian is Kylian. They’re both exceptional. We’re very lucky to have Kylian, and we have to make the most of it.”
Alonso on what he wants to see vs Celta
“A good Madrid performance, a complete game. We hope to find ourselves with positive feelings, with continuity from Bilbao. That’s what we’ve talked about and worked on. ”
Alonso on Fede Valverde at right-back
“We need to assess what decision we make, but there are other options. Fede always puts the team’s needs first and has always played at a high level there. But there may be other options. We’ll see tomorrow. I remember matches where he’s been outstanding: Barça, Juve... We know his position, but he’s very generous, he wants to help the team, the badge, and he perfectly embodies the club’s values. Having him is a real privilege.”
Alonso on the win over Athletic Club
”It was a good match, I said it. Complete, well-rounded. And now we want to build on that. Win more matches and be as high up the table as possible... because in April and May we need to be where we need to be.”
Alonso on what has changed with Vinicius Jr
”He’s in a great place both personally and professionally; he seems so happy. It was a shame he didn’t score in Greece or Bilbao, but when you see him smile, it really energizes the team. It’s crucial to have him in this state of mind. Hopefully, he can cap off these feelings with a goal tomorrow.”
Alonso on injuries
”We’re working to get many of them back on their feet as soon as possible. There will be good news in the short term. These are phases we have to live with. Our goal is to reverse this as quickly as possible and compete with what we have.”
Alonso on Arda Güler
”He has the ability to play at different heights and exert varying degrees of influence, depending on the team’s needs. He can orchestrate play and deliver the decisive pass. He can even arrive late into the box. He adapts to the situation around him. This quality adds flexibility to the team’s tactics. But he’s developing rapidly, and we need to invest in him, as I said at the World Cup, because he’s exceptional.”
Alonso on the key to the team’s improvements
”We’ve had three games without a win... where we weren’t up to par, both with and without the ball. But consistency is the difference, regardless of the opponent’s approach.”
Alonso on how he is feeling
”I’m fine, thank you. I know where I am, the demands of the club, and that I need the necessary composure to focus on what’s essential. To be self-critical, but without beating myself up.”
Alonso on Joan Martinez
”I’m seeing him doing very well, like everyone at Castilla; Álvaro is doing a great job and everyone helps us a lot in training. Álvaro is a very good friend of mine, we know each other very well, and that’s important. Joan has been called up and if needed, he’ll get opportunities. As will be seen later on.”
Alonso on Eder Militao at right-back
”It’s an option, we have to see what we have in the center of defense. I think it was against... Senegal? He played as a right-back for Brazil and did very well. He has that ability. He reminds me a bit of Pepe: he was competitive and you knew that wherever he played, he was going to be competitive. Wherever Militao is needed, he’ll be there.”