After a 0-0 result at Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso asked for calm and a steady focus on progress. He said the team must keep working to get better and avoid overreacting to one result.
“I’m concerned about wanting to keep growing, wanting to keep improving, being positively self-critical, constructively self-critical”
Alonso noted that Rayo is always a tough opponent and that matches there are hard to control. He said the game turned into a fast battle of breaks in the second half, and Madrid could not find a way to score despite their efforts.
“We were prepared for a demanding match, both this year and in previous years. We’ve always struggled, and this year is no different, to get ahead on the scoreboard, to play a good game, but Rayo also demands a lot from you. Especially in the second half, it was a game of transitions in which we were unable to break the deadlock, and they force you into a situation where the games are played at a frenetic pace, and today was no different.”
Alonso also rejected the idea that the team’s form was down to emotions after the Anfield match. He said the past game is behind them and that the squad must stay steady in how they prepare and think about each match.
“No, no. Today was a game after the game at Anfield, which is now behind us. Today we wanted to play a game, as we always do in Vallecas, and today it was also a bit difficult to get it where we wanted it to be. In the second half, anything could have happened, and on some occasions it did, but I don’t attribute that to emotional peaks. We want to be very stable in our preparation and in our mentality, because we know that La Liga is a game-by-game competition, and today we couldn’t win.”
He reminded everyone that it is still early in the season and that the club must set high standards while staying patient. Alonso said the focus remains on steady growth, not panic after one draw.
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