Xabi Alonso Highlights Vinícius Júnior’s Performance Before the Madrid Derby
Coach Xabi Alonso has expressed his satisfaction with Vinícius Júnior’s performance, highlighting his performance in Real Madrid’s recent triumph. The Brazilian forward, who has been a key player in the team’s scheme, has generated positive expectations for the upcoming derby against Atlético de Madrid.
Vinícius, although not always an undisputed starter under Alonso’s management, demonstrated his worth with a spectacular goal and a notable performance in the 4-1 victory against Levante. This performance has reinforced confidence in the player ahead of Saturday’s crucial match.
Real Madrid arrives at the derby as the leader of the LaLiga table, with a perfect record of six wins in six matches. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid has had a more complicated start to the season, needing a late comeback to beat Rayo Vallecano and placing themselves nine points away.
“Vini is a fundamental player for us. The other day he played a great game. I really liked the things he did. I like to see him smile,” Alonso commented in the press conference before the match.
Xabi Alonso
Vinícius hasn’t been a guaranteed starter under Xabi Alonso’s management until now.
The two LaLiga derbies from last season ended in 1-1 draws. In the Champions League, Real Madrid defeated Atlético in the round of 16 after a penalty shootout.
Atlético has made a significant investment in the transfer market, incorporating several players, but has only achieved two victories in six LaLiga matches.
“Atlético has changed their squad a lot, so I’ve focused more on their matches this season,” explained Alonso, when asked if he had analyzed last season’s matches.
“Atlético evolves every year and this year they have made smart changes, very good players have arrived. It’s very early, they can aspire to everything this season… It’s a team that has a lot of energy, that demands a high pace.”
Alonso insisted that Madrid “cannot rest on its laurels” after its impressive start to the season, facing its biggest test yet at the Metropolitano.
“We have to be consistent. If we win many games, we can get many points, but we can’t relax, because then a mistake can be made… We have to see how flexible we can be, being unpredictable with the ball, not having a single way to attack. But without the ball, we have taken steps forward.”
Alonso also confirmed that midfielder Jude Bellingham is fit to start after playing 19 minutes as a substitute against Levante.
“[Bellingham] can participate in the build-up and the finishing of plays, he has that ability to cover a lot of ground,” said Alonso. “He’s starting now, he’s training and playing more minutes… There are players who are more positional and more static, but Jude is not one of them.”
