The Real Madrid manager spoke after Osasuna.
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso spoke to the media after recording his first La Liga win — a 1-0 triumph over Osasuna on Tuesday night. Alonso was asked about whether this defensive partnership of Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen is the way to go this season, to which he said: "Whoever deserves to play will play. Nobody is guaranteed a spot in the XI, but of course, I’m very happy with Huijsen and Militao. And Carvajal, who’s already there, is very important on the pitch and in terms of morale."
Alonso on the match
"There were good things and things to improve. The road is long. We lacked a bit of freshness. The win gives us peace of mind. We have to analyse things to improve. There are positives, starting with the result. After two weeks of preseason, against a team that has had a longer preseason, there were some things missing, but it will give us stability to continue."
Alonso on Osasuna’s game plan
"Osasuna played their game. We expected a higher block from them. They demanded a lot from us, but we were able to play a lot in their half and not let them pass. We’ve had little time to work on this. We’re learning, because we’re sure to play more of these games and keep going."
Alonso on Kylian Mbappe
"I feel like he wants more, you can tell from the first day. I don’t know if it’s because of the number 10, but it’s noticeable."
Alonso on Rodrygo
"Nothing’s happening. The Club World Cup was a different context, now behind us. I’m counting on him; it’s just a one-off game. If he’s still getting those minutes in three months, it’ll be a different story."
Alonso on players’ debuts
"They weren’t bothered by the shirt or the Bernabéu. All four of them performed well. They weren’t nervous at all, generally good. I’m very happy to be here, in this new Bernabéu, to experience how it sounds...” Very good, really. They all landed on their feet, those who played in the World Cup and Franco, who made his debut today, are players we’ll have here for years."
Alonso on Franco Mastantuono
"It looks like I liked it, right? I was really looking forward to it, and sometimes the emotional aspect outweighs the emotional aspect. That’s good news."