Alonso talks Vinicius, Mbappe, conversation with Perez after Super Cup defeat
Real Madrid may have fallen short in the Spanish Super Cup final, but Xabi Alonso walked away from the defeat with mixed emotions rather than pure disappointment.
The coach acknowledged the pain of losing a final while also underlining the character, effort and fight shown by his players until the very last moment of the game.
Speaking after the final whistle, Alonso first reflected on the emotional balance he felt on the touchline as the match unfolded and eventually slipped away from his side.
"There’s a mix of emotions for not having been able to win the title, but there’s also pride in having fought until the end."
"The match was very even and had different phases, and we were very close to tying it and going to penalties," the Real Madrid boss said, according to AS.
With injuries and fitness issues a constant talking point around the squad, Alonso was asked whether physical condition played a role in the outcome.
"No, we had the strength for that final push. Physical condition and injuries are preventing us from achieving stability and distributing the workload."
One of the standout performers on the night was Vinicius Jr, who once again carried Madrid’s attacking threat.
Alonso was keen to explain both the Brazilian’s substitution and the impact of his goal, which briefly lifted belief among the fans.
"Vinicius played very well until the 85th minute, he asked to be substituted because he was tired. It was very humid."
"He was unstoppable, the goal was spectacular, he was a great threat down his wing."
"We’re not happy with the result, but we can take positives from it for the season. Now we need to get people back to fitness, which is the most crucial thing right now," he explained.
Looking at the tournament as a whole, Alonso pointed out how demanding the Super Cup format can be, especially when it places major rivals against each other in quick succession.
"It’s a competition in which we face two big rivals in a few days, in the middle of the season. We’ll take the positives and face our next challenges."
Kylian Mbappe’s role was another key topic, with the French star introduced later than planned. Alonso explained both the timing and the intention behind the decision.
"Kylian was going to come on just before we conceded the 2-3. We wanted to create an imbalance, a threat, to link up with him between the lines and in space."
"He gave us that a little later. It’s a shame we were already behind on the scoreboard, but we wanted to push forward with him in attack."
He later clarified the fitness aspect behind the call by adding, "He wasn’t ready to start with the intensity that the game was going to have, so we decided that."
Finally, Alonso was pragmatic when asked about the psychological impact of losing the final. For him, perspective is essential at this stage of the season.
"Well, we’d have to turn the page as quickly as possible. It’s a game, a competition that, of all the ones we have, is the least important."
"We have to look ahead, try to get people back on track, like their morale. And move forward.”
He also dismissed any dramatic post-match conversations with Florentino Perez, saying simply, “Nothing, nothing. It was very quick."
Reiterating his stance on the defeat, Alonso concluded,
"Of all the competitions we have, this is the least important one. We have to look ahead, try to get people back on track."