Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso shared his happiness after his team’s strong performance led them past Juventus and into the Club World Cup quarterfinals. Alonso said the team is growing better with each match.
"We’re getting stronger game by game. Today, we played well and moved forward with confidence," he said, showing how much faith he has in his players as they head into the quarter-final.
When asked if it’s tough to leave Gonzalo Garcia on the bench because of Kylian Mbappe’s presence, Alonso kept his focus on the team’s recent performance.
"I’m not thinking about the next match right now. I’m happy with how we played today and what we did well," he said.
Alonso also spoke about Mbappe’s return, adding, "I believe he will be in even better shape by Saturday. There’s still time, and I trust Kylian completely."
Talking about Gonzalo Garcia, Alonso praised the youngster: "I’m very pleased with him and the whole team. He’s been excellent, scoring goals and giving everything he has."
"We’re pushing him to keep this up, and he’s taking full advantage of every minute on the pitch."
Alonso highlighted how different players are stepping up. On Arda Guler, he said, "He’s doing great, but it’s not just him; Aurelien and Dani are also important."
"A team isn’t built around one player. We’re working on making our midfield stronger as a whole.”
He also praised Federico Valverde, saying, “Having Fede makes my job much easier. He’s a fantastic player who gives his all and motivates the rest of the team."
When asked about Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alonso noted his quality crosses but admitted there is still work to do.
"That cross to Gonzalo is classic Trent; he’s done it hundreds of times. But on the right side, he needs to work on his dribbling and link-up play."
"It’s a challenge for him since there hasn’t been much time for team training, but we’re working on it."