Real Madrid News
Xabi Alonso’s masterplan to rejuvenate Real Madrid superstar pays off
Vinicius Junior was the hottest topic at Real Madrid lately following Xabi Alonso’s decision to bench in the second game against Real Oviedo.
It was a bad look for the Brazilian international, who was coming on the back of a poor and uncertainty over his long-term future at the club.
The decision to bench him and play new signing Franco Mastantuono was seen by many as a sign of a statement from Alonso. However, in reality, it was a brilliant tactical manoeuvre to revive the forward.
Xabi Alonso’s gamble with Vinicius pays off
As reported by Diario AS, Vinicius responded in style against Mallorca, playing one of his best matches of the early season.
The winger not only scored the decisive second goal in Madrid’s 2-1 win, but also showed a complete change in attitude.
The forward tormented Mallorca defender Mateu Morey with three successful dribbles and tested the goalkeeper twice, proving far more effective than Kylian Mbappe, who failed to get a shot on target.
Alonso had made it clear from the beginning of his tenure that no player would enjoy sporting privileges, insisting that every starting place must be earned through effort and collective sacrifice.
“In a dressing room, the fundamental thing is the team spirit. Everyone knows they have to be there to contribute,” Alonso explained before the match.
Vinicius seemed to take that message to heart. Against Mallorca, he avoided confrontations with opponents and referees, even shaking hands amicably with referee Sanchez Martinez at half-time.
His renewed focus helped Real Madrid secure a vital win, while also signaling that he is ready to adapt to Alonso’s demands.
With an international break coming up, Vinicius now has the perfect opportunity to internalise Alonso’s defensive concepts and strengthen his chemistry with Kylinan Mbappe.
With the international break done and dusted, Real Madrid will be back in action this weekend in La Liga, where they will be looking to catch up to league leaders FC Barcelona.
Coming up for Jose Mourinho & co., who lost their last game before the international break, will be a home game against Villarreal on Saturday.
And, leading up to the game, the Spanish capital club have received welcome news on the injury front.
Mbappe back in group training
Indeed, as per MARCA, Kylian Mbappe will be available for Real Madrid’s match against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Having been training individually so far this week, the France captain rejoined group training under Mourinho today, taking a concrete step forward towards making himself available for the game.
The forward looked relaxed and ready to work, putting his boots back on and joining the group as Real Madrid prepare for a demanding run of fixtures throughout October.
And, unless there is any unforeseen setback, everything suggests that Mbappe will be ready to start against the Yellow Submarine come Saturday.
Under scrutiny
The past few weeks have been nothing short of eventful for Mbappe, with his every action and movement under heavy scrutiny.
Playing for France, in Zinedine Zidane’s managerial debut, the 27-year-old superstar scored a goal before asking for a substitution due to a knee injury.
Having flown back to Madrid, he underwent tests, which confirmed the injury, although it was not as serious as was initially feared.
The forward then took week-long holiday with his partner that sparked some debate among supporters and attracted criticism from multiple quarters.
Mbappe returned to Madrid on Monday and participated in individual sessions at Valdebebas over the past couple of days. Now he has resumed normal training with his teammates.
There had been doubts over whether Mbappe would be able to face Villarreal after he picked up the injury on 25 September.
However, the recovery plan followed by the forward appears to have worked, and he is now expected to be in a fully fit condition for Saturday’s match.
