Calm Before the Clasico: Alonso Charts a Quiet Course as Real Madrid Readies for Barca
25 October 2025
Calm Before the Clasico
Xabi Alonso stepped to the microphone with his trademark calm, greeting reporters as Real Madrid sharpen their focus for El Clasico against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu. He said the squad is fully available and in the right mental space, working through daily routines with the kind of discipline that looks easy until you try it in a sprint.
He refused to fuel a public spat sparked by Lamine Yamal's recent remarks, stressing that the real battleground is on the pitch. "We won't engage in unnecessary debates," he said, adding that what matters is performance when the whistle blows.
Alonso underscored the importance of the home crowd, saying the Bernabéu can become a powerful force in the Clasico, especially as his project takes shape and the team irons out details week to week.
'Clasico remains a special, demanding occasion,' he added, but he would not get dragged into controversy. 'There will be statements from Barca; our focus is the field and what we want to achieve together.'
