Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso emphasized the importance of growth and long-term development, despite the heavy 4-0 defeat of his team against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The hope of the Spanish giants to reach the final of the tournament was ended by a dominant French side at Metlife Stadium.
The former Bayer Leverkusen coach, however, stated that his team left the United States as a 'better team', hopeful for forging a new growth path.
Alonso said to the media: “More than the distance between the two teams is the margin that we have to improve. It is the end of this season and not the start of the next.
“We take the positive points from this Club World Cup period. We leave as a better team. It is a starting point for a better start next season.
“I'm talking about the team and not about the players. Today we have had some shortcomings, and sometimes it is good to see the mistakes so that they can be useful for the future. If we repeat the same mistake, we will not be intelligent.”
PSG was reflected strongly after a loss of a shock group stage for Brazilian side Botafogo, as a result of which four consecutive victories reach the final.
Their most impressive representation came in the semi -final, where they conquered Los Blancos. The side of Luis Enrique also expanded their remarkable knockout streak, after they have now won their last five knockout competitions in all competitions.
“PSG is a project that has been made over time, and we are just starting. It is not only because you want to be more brave that you are better,” Alonso added.
“There were two hard strokes, and we were not on the field. We had to relax a bit, and it was a shame to admit the third before the break.
“We have suffered a team that is at a good level, and we are just starting this new phase. There is a lot of margin.
“It hurts, and our level was not good enough. This competition will show us things for the future to compete at a better level than today. This is as far as we have come. We fell on the penultimate obstacle, and it hurts.
“I thought we had to wait, because in the second half we changed the urge of 4-3-3 in 4-4-2 with Gonzalo on the left. The analysis of the decisions will be viewed and I will be open to criticism.
“We are all together, and this end will not mark us too much for the start of the following season. This will be a restart of zero, not from 98, how we are completed today.”
When asked for the future for himself and his Real Madrid team, the 43-year-old answered: “I leave with a perspective for next year, when we will recover players and there will be changes.
“Next season will be different, but I will leave with clear certainties. I will take all the information that this tournament has given me. We want to build a team that plays as a unit and where everyone is involved.”