Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso seemed satisfied with the three points to start their La Liga campaign on Tuesday evening, but ready to see more in the future. The Basque manager also responded to more doubts about the future of the Brazilian attacker Rodrygo Goes, after he stayed on the couch and without minutes.
Los Blancos achieved a 1-0 victory over Osasuna with Kylian Mbappe who was at the forefront of the home team, won the penalty and scored it in the second half. Alonso was aware that his team had not had any penetration.
“It is clear that there were good things and things to improve. After just two weeks of the preseason, it is clear that the journey is long. We missed a bit of freshness in the last third, but we were organized, and against a low block it might be difficult for us to create opportunities.”
“But there were good things, and bad, the team gets better and rhythm. We know that we have two games for the break and the team gets fit.”
Alonso explained that they had problems breaking down Los Rojillo, who were only violated by the punishment of Mbappe, and their best efforts in the first half came from the long distance of Dean Huijsena and Eer Militao.
“It was difficult, they jumped on us, floated in 5-3-2 and sometimes in 5-4-1 it was difficult to find spaces. We tried to reach the by-line with Vinicius and Carreras, but it was not possible to find that last pass to create clear opportunities. In the second half they might have come out a little more, they recovered more, they restore.
He continued to notice that Real Madrid had prepared for an Osasuna side that would keep their defense line a little higher.
“We didn't have much time to prepare. We expected Osasuna to be higher, from what we saw in the preseason, and we couldn't train much in these two weeks at a low block. We had to get more players in the area, would explode more in space, know when they would risk more, or if they would have no doubt.”
The Real Madrid coach continued to deny that the absence of Rodrygo was not related to his future or a change in a role. The Brazilian was an unused replacement, making it only one start in seven games that Alonso was in charge of.
“There is nothing wrong with Rodrygo. We have to put it in context. The club's world cup was different, I think we can leave it behind, and this was only one game. I count on him, what is important is this season, and we don't have to read too much for the future.”
“If he has the same amount of minutes in three months, I can answer you. But today it was about the circumstances of the competition, and my decisions during it.”
Rodrygo was subject to intense speculation this summer about his Real Madrid career, and understandably, since he only presented 93 minutes in their last 12 games, apparently without an injury. It can be very good that Real Madrid does not like to injure Rodrygo before the end of the transfer window to the chance he was moving, but on Tuesday he saw Franco Mastantuono, Vinicius Junior, Brahim Diaz and Gonzalo Garcia Torres all used in roles for him.