Coach Xabi Alonso: 'Real Madrid deserved to lose'

Following the painful Madrid derby, Coach Xabi Alonso acknowledged Real Madrid’s poor performance and that they “deserved to lose,” while highlighting this as a crucial learning experience for the future.

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid suffered their first defeat in La Liga this season, and it was a heavy 2-5 loss against city rivals Atletico Madrid. The derby at the Metropolitano not only ended Los Blancos’ winning streak but also exposed many issues in their gameplay. After the match, Alonso did not shy away from admitting that his team “deserved to lose.”

In the post-match press conference, Alonso confessed: “It was a terrible game. We did not perform well, whether in possession or not. We did not reach the required level.”

He also stressed that Real Madrid lacked intensity in challenges and almost lost control of the game: “We couldn’t regain the ball, nor impose our style of play. This is a painful defeat, but a deserved outcome.”

The Spanish coach affirmed that this loss should be seen positively as a lesson for the future: “We know we are in a rebuilding phase. We must learn from this game. There are no excuses; we simply did not play well enough.”

Specifically, Alonso openly addressed the lackluster performance of Jude Bellingham, who barely made an impact during the match: “Jude trained very well; we wanted to use him in a certain position but couldn’t. Without him, we lost much control of the ball.”

Despite the disappointment, Alonso believes the team’s reaction after this setback is what truly matters: “We are unhappy, but we must not forget what we have achieved before. The key is how we respond, whether in the next match or when facing a strong opponent like Atletico today.”

Real Madrid entered the derby on a six-game winning streak, while Atletico faced instability. However, Simeone’s team showed dominance with high intensity and relentless attacking.

This defeat is certainly a major shock for Real Madrid and their fans. But for Alonso, it could become a turning point for the team to reflect and improve. He concluded: “It would be unwise not to take something positive from today’s pain.”

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