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Valdano: “The ones who don’t run are the players, I was suprised that they only ran when the…

Dec 8, 2025, 8:39 PM UTC

Speaking to _Diario AS_, Jorge Valdano defended Xabi Alonso while placing responsibility for Real Madrid’s latest setback on the squad. “I consider Xabi a competent coach; it’s the players who aren’t running, not the coach,” Valdano said.

”The team needs to be more aggressive, and that’s the players’ responsibility. The coach has to maintain order, keep the players motivated. All of that is the coach’s job. But I was surprised that after such a complete performance in Bilbao, the team lacked any aggression and took so long to wake up.”

Valdano stressed that the team did what Xabi Alonso wanted after going down to 10-men and being down a goal. “Only when the situation is desperate, when we’re losing 0-1, when a player is sent off, when things get complicated, do they finally show another level of commitment,” Valdano adds.

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