Real Madrid News
Real Madrid breakout star speaks on his role under Xabi Alonso – ‘A dream come true’
Xabi Alonso was always expected to trust young talents once he took over at Real Madrid and he has not disappointed on that front. In fact, it took him only a few training sessions to identify talents he could lay his faith on.
Gonzalo Garcia, clearly, has been the party most benefited from the manager’s trust as he has started all three group stage games for Los Blancos in the FIFA Club World Cup in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.
In fact, he even scored against Al-Hilal and provided an assist against Pachuca to repay the manager’s faith in him in full and thus earn more minutes going forward in the season.
Academy striker speaks
Speaking to DAZN in a recent interview, the young academy striker commented on how it felt to be a regular part of Xabi Alonso’s plans and the Real Madrid first team.
“It’s a dream to be here, to be able to play minutes in this shirt, which means everything to me. It’s truly a dream come true.”
He then went on to speak on how it was a matter of pride not only for him but also for his family and support system.
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“Yes, in the end, it’s new for everyone and they’re also having fun in their own way. They’re having fun and are very happy for me, and everyone is, in fact, very happy.”
“Everyone wants to know all the details, whether about training, the camp, with the team, or with the players. They ask about everything, and as expected, everything, as I told you, is full of joy,” he added.
The player was then asked to speak about his goal against Al-Hilal that ensured Real Madrid got a point on the night and how he got on the end of Rodrygo’s assist rather unexpectedly.
“Yes, yes, in the end, while I’m playing I don’t think much. It’s true that at the moment of the goal, there was a bit of luck, wasn’t there?”
“It went in after a double or triple touch, as some people told me and we laughed, but it’s okay,” he honestly admitted.
Despite that, however, Garcia hilariously defended his goal and called it a goal regardless of how it went in.
“No, no, no, in the end, a goal is a goal. It doesn’t matter if I score it with a three-touch in the top corner or from anywhere else, the goal will still count and contribute to the result.”
“As I told you, it was a very special moment, and I hope to score many more goals in this shirt. Now I’m enjoying this experience to the fullest,” he concluded.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
