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Xabi Alonso faces many challenges at Real Madrid. |
At 7:30 on June 9, when the sun had not yet dried the dew on the Valdebebas turf, Xabi Alonso was there. No whistle, no flashy cameras, no lavish introduction - just a man, walking into the place where he used to play, now returning to build a new empire.
First hug and 200% promise
That was how Xabi Alonso's first day as Real Madrid coach began. "When football is in my blood, it wakes me up at 2am. I jump up, toss and turn, think about the squad, training, plans. I can't sleep until I tie all the knots," Xabi Alonso told El Pais .
And that morning, Xabi Alonso’s intense passion for football brought him to the training center earlier than most of the staff. For him, football is not a job, nor a stage. It is an instinctive urge, a responsibility to the legacy he has been given - the greatest team in the world .
Xabi wasted no time getting down to business. After a brief greeting, he held his first tactical meeting with his team: assistant Sebas Parrilla, fitness expert Ismael Camenforte, and technical assistant Alberto Encinas - all of whom Xabi had brought with him from his successful spell at Leverkusen. Two of the old faces - goalkeeping coach Llopis and fitness expert Pintus - remained, but now as "performance managers", with a more strategic role.
The meeting lasted for hours, not to analyze the details but to set the broad outlines for a turbulent week. With only four training sessions left before the team flew to the US for a tour, there was no room for too much. The first strokes were drawn with vision - not in a hurry, but not backing down either.
Then Xabi went into the dressing room. There were only 15 first-team players, but only five were 100% fit: Lucas Vazquez, Raul Asensio, Fran Garcia, Dani Ceballos and Rodrygo Goes. The other six, Thibalut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Fede Valverde and Brahim Diaz, had only been in light training, while Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick had not even played. It was a disjointed, uncoordinated squad – but one Xabi had expected.
He approached each person, shook hands and chatted briefly. No long speeches, no shocking declarations - just a simple but profound promise: "I will give you 200%. In return, I want to see the same." A promise that did not need to be flowery, but carried the spirit of the entire dynasty.
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Xabi Alonso knows what to expect at Real Madrid. |
Realizing that the first team was not enough, Xabi immediately called up 10 young players from the La Fabrica academy: Fran Gonzalez, Mestre, Fortea, Jacobo Ramon, Diego Aguado, Yusi, Chema, Mario Martin, Victor Munoz and Gonzalo. Of these, many will go to the US - up to 60% may be retained.
Mario Martin - who has just returned from Valladolid - is the most prominent name, but for Xabi, the most important thing is the spirit: he wants to put his faith in homegrown players. What the former Bayer Leverkusen captain did with Wirtz, Hincapie and Grimaldo in Germany is now being replicated at Real Madrid. Xabi understands that a great team is not just about making big money, but also about continuing tradition, about giving players the chance to grow up wearing the white shirt.
Waiting and the Missing Pieces
Xabi is not available to work with the entire squad this week. A number of stars are still on international duty. Huijsen, Tchouameni and Mbappe will join up early. Modric is expected to join up on June 11, while Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold will arrive later due to the final friendly against Senegal. Lunin, Güler and Vinicius will only join up when the team arrives in the US.
In theory, the absence of so many key players is a disadvantage. But for Xabi, it is a space for him to sow seeds. He needs the first quiet days to impart his philosophy, to create closeness, to make the young players feel appreciated. Training is not just about physical fitness, but about building relationships - something he considers the foundation of all victory.
On June 18, Xabi Alonso will play his first official match as Real Madrid manager, against Al Hilal at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. More than 64,000 spectators will be present, millions will watch on television - but first he has four days at Valdebebas, and more than a week in the US, to prepare for it.
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Things are officially starting for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. |
There were no explosions on the first morning, but there were signs: the way he shook hands with the players, the attention to detail in meetings, the way he walked onto the training pitch with a focused gaze. Small details, but the basis of all greatness.
Xabi Alonso did not arrive to change everything overnight. But he arrived with a clear desire: to breathe new life into Real Madrid, starting with the unconditional love of football that he calls "the bug" - something that will never leave him, nor those who love the royal white shirt.
Source: https://znews.vn/real-madrid-thuc-giac-cung-xabi-alonso-post1559661.html
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