Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso delivered a clear message to his attacking players ahead of an important Club World Cup clash against Red Bull Salzburg.
Alonso believes every player must contribute defensively for the team to succeed. Before the match, he emphasized that the whole squad needs to step up in defense.
Last season, under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, star forwards Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé faced criticism, especially for not tracking back enough when out of possession.
At the pre-match press conference, Alonso said:
“All of us need to take responsibility for defense. All 11 players on the field must be involved. They need to understand how we want to apply pressure. Viní, Jude (Bellingham), Fede (Valverde), Kylian — everyone must be engaged.”
“We need to improve defensively. The tighter we can close those gaps, the better. That’s something we need to work on, Viní as well.”
Real Madrid will face Salzburg on Friday at 7 AM Bangladesh time at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Mbappé, who missed the first two games due to illness, will also be unavailable for this crucial match.
With 4 points from 2 matches, Real Madrid top Group H. Salzburg sit second on the same points but behind on goal difference, while Al-Hilal are third with 2 points. All three teams still have a chance to reach the Round of 16. Pachuca, having lost their first two games, are already eliminated.
