Real Madrid News
Alaba talks Benzema, Ballon d’Or, Tchouameni, Lewandowski, favourite position
David Alaba spoke to REAL TOTAL in a detailed interview recently during which he discussed Real Madrid’s start to the season, their recent win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League, as well as speaking about teammates like Karim Benzema and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Alaba was one of Los Blancos’ better performers on Wednesday as they defeated Shakhtar 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real had created a host of chances on the night and should have won by a much bigger margin.
So much so that, midfielder Toni Kroos had joked after the game that the scoreline should have been 7-1. Alaba was asked about the German maestro’s comments, to which he replied:
“Only 7-1? (laughs). I don’t know how many chances we had in the end. In any case, there were numerous. Accordingly, I believe that we deserved to win.”
Talking about the start to the defence of their Champions League crown, the Austrian said: “We are definitely happy and satisfied with it. That was certainly our goal, to win the first three games, to be at the top with nine points and thus give us a good starting position.”
On if there had been any changes to the team between last season and this, the ex-Bayern Munich ace responded: “I think it’s similar to what it’s always been – what Real Madrid stands for: a very, very strong team, where the squad is really very strong.
“It’s no secret that we’re really strong as a team, but of course, we also have certain individual players who can make a difference and bring tremendous quality with them.”
When asked about new signing Aurelien Tchouameni, Alaba could not stop himself from heaping praises on the young midfielder.
“In Tchouameni, we’ve now got a player who not only has potential but who brought quality with him from day one. He was able to help the team from day one and made a really great contribution,” Alaba said.
“And it certainly wasn’t that easy after the departure of Casemiro, who really, I think, played world-class in that position for a decade,” he said.
Alaba will be involved in the first El Clasico of this season against Barcelona in less than two weeks. The meeting will see him come face-to-face against his former Bayern Munich teammate, Robert Lewandowski.
Ahead of the reunion, Alaba spoke highly of the Barcelona superstar, calling him one of the best strikers in the game.
“I’m not surprised by Lewy. I know him really well from my time in Munich. For years in Munich, I was able to experience what he does here in Spain.
“He’s one of the best strikers in the world and he’s proven that time and time again over the past few years and he’s showing it again this season,” Alaba said.
Lewandowski is one of the contenders for the Ballon d’Or 2022, along with Alaba’s current Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema. And when asked who would win the Golden Orb, the defender chose the French striker as the favourite, saying:
“Karim. The question doesn’t even arise because if you look at his last season, what he did there, it’s really unbelievable. I’m really very grateful that I was able to experience it and be a part of it – and see him work every day.”
Alaba, over the years, has proven himself to be an extremely versatile player capable of slotting in at left-back, centre-back and even in defensive midfield.
At Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has largely used him as a centre-half and occasionally on the left side. When asked about his favoured position, the Austrian international said:
“I’m more comfortable inside. I also think he [Ancelotti] sees me more in that position. It’s no secret that I can play on the left. If I have to play there or help out, then of course I try to help the team as much as I can.”
Talking about the tough run of fixtures and the packed schedule in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup next month, Alaba added:
“The next few weeks will be extremely important because we have a lot of games. We play every three days until November, until the World Cup. We really have to be extremely focused and concentrated.
“It’s important that we prepare as best we can for the games and recover as best we can. We really have to focus on football so that we can be successful over the next few weeks.”
Real Madrid News
Report: Mourinho’s preferred pivot combination for Real Madrid’s big games this season
The midfield pecking order at Real Madrid still remains unclear five games into the new season, especially given that Los Blancos could not make the signings they expected.
Federico Valverde has remained a constant in the double pivot under Jose Mourinho, but his partner has changed constantly.
Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva have been the manager’s primary options to partner Valverde in midfield so far this season, and Aurelien Tchouameni’s absence through injury has been one pioneering factors for the same. The Frenchman, however, is back now from injury and it remains to be seen how the dynamic changes.
The big game pair
As confirmed in a recent update on El Larguero, Jose Mourinho has decided his pivot his big games now and it will indeed be the Valverde-Tchouameni combination.
The Uruguayan star has made his presence felt this season with strong shifts in terms of pressing and an attacking output. He was even named the man of the match against Inter Milan and is seemingly undroppable.
What Tchouameni will bring to the table, however, is defensive solidity – something that is a non-negotiable given that the forwards barely provide any defensive work-rate.
Having Valverde and Tchouameni at the base of midfield will help cut short opposition buildups and disrupt the play.
Waters will be tested soon
Tchouameni made his much-awaited return to the field in Real Madrid’s game against Inter Milan and came on for Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 79th minute.
He briefly joined Valverde in the double pivot at the time and provided a glimpse of how the duo can work in tandem in the defensive midfield. However, the waters are yet to be tested adequately.
With the Frenchman now fit, Jose Mourinho could well look to start the duo together in Real Madrid’s coming games. They have played together in the past, but doing so in a double pivot in Mourinho’s system is demanding.
Moreover, there are concerns over the team’s drop in creativity and distribution with Valverde and Tchouameni at the heart of midfield, and it remains to be seen if the manager can come up with a workable solution.
After all, the players had a bad falling out on a personal level just months ago.
