Khaberni - Real Madrid coach, Xabi Alonso, responded to the provocative statements of Barcelona star Lamine Yamal before the anticipated matchup that will bring the two teams together tomorrow, Sunday, in the "Clásico of the Earth" at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Xabi Alonso said in a press conference: "The Clásico match is special, it's the first in this project, we need the stadium to have the energy of big matches to push us forward."
Alonso declined to comment on the claims by Barcelona star Lamine Yamal in the Kings League that "Real Madrid cheats and complains," saying, "I will not comment on Lamine's statements, what matters to us is what happens on the field, it’s an important match and there are many elements to enjoy and that excites us more than anything else."
He added: "We have recently recovered all the players who couldn't play against Juventus, tomorrow you will see the main lineup."
He continued: "There might be circumstances similar to last year, but it's a completely different game, we want to utilize our strengths in the best possible way and enforce our style on the pitch."
He added: "Thanks to the quality of our players, they might fall into the offside trap, but we need to put in more effort, we have to be careful with our passing, the small details are what make the difference."
He concluded: "I see Mbappé in good shape, everyone is very excited and eager to win, all have recovered from the Juventus match."
He continued: "Above all, how can we be more effective? What can he do to show up and how can he be the most decisive, not just by scoring goals, the team's collective performance is improving and Mbappé is a key player."
When asked about a turning point for Real since the "Atletico Derby," Alonso said: "A few weeks have passed and we've begun to correct things and looking to tomorrow, we believe we are in a good mental and technical state."
Regarding Real delivering good performances, Alonso commented: "Yes, we are playing well and I like that, but we can perform better, we are building a solid foundation, we are a reliable team and we need to take the next step."
Xabi emphasized during his statements saying, "All the players in the team can start in the Clásico."
About Carreras' readiness to deliver a strong defensive and offensive performance, Alonso said: "Everyone will be decisive, defensively and offensively, individually and collectively."
Regarding his eagerness to prove himself against Barcelona in the Clásico, Alonso said: "I want to win and I want the fans to enjoy their time. The match has a special flavor and it is the most important currently."
About playing the Clásico against Barcelona, which has strong pressure, Alonso said: "The most important thing is ourselves, our abilities and our strengths, then there is the game plan, our idea and what we want not just with the ball, but also very importantly, this is what we are working on and striving to achieve consistently."
