Mbappé praises Xabi Alonso and states that his departure from Real Madrid cannot be considered a failure

MADRID (EFE).– The French forward of Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé, described Xabi Alonso as a “great coach” and assured that he maintained a “spectacular relationship” with him, referring to the dismissal of the Tolosan coach, announced last week by the white club.

You may be interested in:Mbappé and Asencio rescue Real Madrid on a night marked by boos During a press conference, Mbappé defended Alonso's work and rejected the criticisms about his management of the team. "You can't say he hasn't succeeded, because he left before the titles were decided," said the attacker.

He risked it despite the injury

Mbappé revealed that he traveled to "Yeda" for the final of the "Spanish Super Cup" against Barcelona despite not being in optimal physical condition, due to a "knee sprain", and explained that he did so at the express request of the then coach. "I always want to play every match, whether I'm doing well or not. The club had a plan for me to return in the Super Cup, but it wasn't possible against Atlético. I was very sad watching my teammates from the sidelines," he confessed. He added that, despite not being fully recovered, he decided to accompany the team: "In such an important match, the individual is left behind. I tried to play as much as possible, but it didn't go well because we didn't win."

Defense of Xabi Alonso's work

The French striker insisted that the coach's departure cannot be interpreted as a sporting failure. "He has only lost one title, the Super Cup. In the rest of the competitions we were still alive when he left," he emphasized. Mbappé especially highlighted Alonso's football vision: “He has an obsession with details and the game. He knows modern football very well. For me, he is going to be a great coach.”

Personal support after dismissal

Mbappé also revealed that he spoke with Xabi Alonso on the same day the club informed him of his dismissal. “We have a very good relationship. We talked about life and what comes next. I wanted to support him because it’s never easy to go through a situation like that,” he explained. However, he made clear his commitment to the club and the new coaching staff: "It's a decision of Real Madrid and it must be respected. Now we have a new coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, and we are going to give it our all to help him in his first professional experience." "That's the life of a top-level footballer. With all the affection I have for Xabi, I must move forward always defending the Real Madrid badge," concluded Mbappé.