Real Madrid beat Tirol 0-4, in Austria, in what was the last preseason match for the white team. Xabi Alonso, who was happy and pleased with his team’s performance, fired up the fans in what was the last warm-up before the start of the league season on August 19 at 9 p.m. at the Santiago Bernabéu against Osasuna.
The Basque coach has everyone fired up, and the feeling ahead of the first official game is excellent. Güler and Mbappé are in great form, Militao has returned from injury in excellent shape, Carreras dazzled in his first start for the Whites, and Rodrygo found the back of the net again. In addition, youth players Yáñez and Thiago Pitarch enjoyed a few minutes of playing time in Real Madrid’s rout in Austria.
Real Madrid sealed the deal in the first 17 minutes. After a cross from Brahim from the right wing, Éder Militao finished with a sublime header, subtly and skillfully putting the ball in the back of the net. Xabi’s team took the lead after several earlier warnings, such as Güler’s shot against the crossbar and double chances for Mbappé and Arda himself. After going 1-0 up, Madrid did not let up and went in search of more. Without taking their foot off the gas, the second goal came after an assist from Güler to Kylian, which ended in a goal for the Frenchman. We weren’t even halfway through the game and the Whites had already sealed the friendly in Austria.
In the second half, Real Madrid continued to look for the Tyrolean side, who took a step back, and rounded off the rout with another goal from Mbappé and one from Rodrygo in the final moments. Half an hour into the game, the Tolosa-born coach made several changes: Lunin replaced Courtois, Carvajal replaced Trent, Rüdiger replaced Huijsen, Alaba replaced Tchouaméni, and Rodrygo replaced Vinicius… something unthinkable a few months ago with Ancelotti. It is true that the context of the match is different, as it was a preseason friendly, but even so, Alonso has already tried several things that Carletto did not do before.
The differences between Xabi Alonso and Ancelotti’s Real Madrid
First and foremost, Xabi has trusted Arda Güler in midfield from the outset. The Turkish Real Madrid player feels comfortable playing in the center of midfield, close to the center backs, with his ability to lead the team from possession and with a lot of freedom in attack when Real Madrid are on the front foot. Güler knows that Xabi has given him the confidence that Ancelotti did not give him, and with minutes and regularity, he is proving what a great player he is. The Italian, however, said a few months ago that he had to “sit on the bench” if he wanted to succeed at Real Madrid.
Another big difference is the speed of play and intensity of the team compared to last season. Last season, the pace with the ball was slower, the players didn’t really know what to do, what moves to make, and they couldn’t break down the opposition’s defense because of the flat play of the Whites. Now, that has changed. The new Real Madrid is capable of pressing as a unit after losing the ball, of dropping back and defending more as a team, and not simply by crowding players in their own area.
Finally, one of the main and most obvious differences has been the opportunities that Xabi has given to young players from the moment he sat down on the Madrid bench. Carletto has always been very loyal to his own and willing to die on the pitch alongside the ‘heavyweights’ of the dressing room who gave him everything. However, Alonso put his trust in Gonzalo in the Club World Cup, and did the same with youth players Thiago Pitarch and Daniel Yáñez. The Tolosa native understands the club’s philosophy perfectly, which is none other than to always win, and he also gives opportunities to players who earn them on the field. That’s another thing, as if that weren’t enough, Alonso isn’t married, so meritocracy will prevail over any individual differences.