Alonso brushes off Laporta, Mbappé–Vinícius chemistry fuels Madrid's Girona test

Match Preview and Mbappé–Vinícius Bond

Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid's coach, offered a broad view of the team's situation before an away game at Girona, stressing that Laporta's remarks do not define the club and underscoring the clear harmony between Mbappé and Vinícius on the field.

At the press conference ahead of the Madrid–Girona match, Alonso said: "We know this game comes after the last clash in Athens in the Champions League; in the league we need to recover the feeling of winning away. We've faced two La Liga games and one away Champions League game in a packed schedule. We need a good performance. We've brought back some players and go into the game with the best possible feeling."

When asked about Laporta's comments, the Madrid coach replied: "We recognize the populist messages directed at his fans. We focus on our work, and the important thing is to win on the pitch in a deserved, sporting fashion. Every match is a fresh test."

Laporta's Claims vs On-Field Reality

Laporte had stated: "Barcelona has never bribed referees; referees generally do not bias toward Barca; they have always favored Madrid. Last week Real Madrid scored two goals; I believe they came from a handball by Bellingham, and in the other goal Vinícius broke Inaki Williams' nose. Those goals should have been disallowed, and Barca would be top now."

Alonso added: "We produced periods of good football, but we need dominance, control, continuity, especially defensively where we’ve improved. We need a complete match. I’m not satisfied with some things, particularly the goals we’ve conceded recently; we are still in a building phase."

Injury News, Returns, and Team Cohesion

Regarding pressing, he explained: "The approach is the same, despite a few gaps. We want to keep playing with intensity and personality and be the team that initiates more often."

On injuries, Alonso said: "Rudiger and Militao are back. Asensio might be in the squad. Din is not yet, and we hope to have him for Athletic Bilbao. Franco is also in the squad."

He added: "My relationship with Mbappé? I love players who take the initiative and ask how they can improve. We must understand what happens around him on the pitch. He’s one of those players who takes the initiative and blends into different roles; we must help him."

Massantuno's fitness update: "Massantuno is improving; he trains without pain and is fully integrated in training. We paused him earlier because he played through a discomfort, but he has recovered."

"The signs with Trent Alexander-Arnold are very positive; after the injury he played ninety minutes against Elche and Olympiakos and he feels more comfortable now. We need him, as he is in his first season and naturally goes through an adaptation phase. He is one of those players who demands a lot from himself, and we must support him."

"Mendy left me with a very good impression. It was his first game back, and although we didn’t know his competitive level, he delivered a great performance. He’s a great defender and gives you substantial defensive security. His return is fantastic news after the cup-final injury."

"Mbappé and Vinícius are very gifted in spaces, but they delivered the same level in previous matches as well. The chemistry, quality, and good relationship between them are clearly visible on the pitch, and it was a pity Vinícius could not score today."

Alonso closed: "I have always felt the team is united. Our objective is clear: reach March, April, and May with chances to win everything. We are together in both the good times and the tougher moments. These things are natural in football; we have excellent daily communication. Despite all the talk and rumors, we stay strong inside."

Punchline 1: If calm and conviction were goals, Alonso just scored a hat-trick before kickoff.

Punchline 2: Mbappé and Vinícius are so in sync that even the ball applauds when they move—then the referee pretends not to hear it.