Xabi Alonso: "We're on the right track, with the results and how we're doing things"
"We can't stop, this is just the beginning and we want to keep competing well," underlined the coach.
Xabi Alonso spoke to the press gathered at the Ciudad de Valencia to assess our team's win over Levante (1-4) on LaLiga matchday six: "We've just finished the game and I was fully focused on today's match and where we're headed. We'll start thinking about the derby from tomorrow. It was a really complete team performance, Vini was decisive and put on a really good display."
"We're very much in a growing phase, we're still building. We've been together for 51 days and there is a long way to go yet. We're building a solid base to be competitive in LaLiga, the Champions League and the Copa. They all feel connected and an important part of the team. There is still room for improvement but we're on the right track - not only with the results but also how we're doing things. We can't stop, this is just the beginning and we want to keep competing well."
Rotations and changes to the system
"Having quality players makes everything easier, and it doesn't take much training for them to understand our ideas and what we're looking for. They're flexible, they're not tied to playing in one specific way, they can do all kinds of things and even play different positions. We thought it was a good option for today because we needed to rest some players, as we did with Mili and Carva. After their injuries, we didn't want them playing 90 minutes in three consecutive games. Everyone who came in did a great job. We don't want to mess things around too much either, we're in a decent groove, we're pleased and we have to keep it up. Now we'll think about the derby."
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Camavinga's role
"You've seen it now. He ran from deep and broke through the lines, he's picked it up in the six position and ended up at number ten, pretty much finishing in the last line. He's so dynamic, he has lots of attributes. He's been here since I arrived at the club but he hasn't been available, and now he is, he'll start working his way back in. Jude was able to get some more minutes under his belt too, and that's important."
His feelings on the clash
"We had chances before the break to score a third or even a fourth. We had enough opportunities and sometimes 0-2 can be a tricky scoreline because it feels like you've got a good lead but it can vanish pretty quickly. Of course, when Levante made it 1-2, it became tighter. I don't know how long it was, but it wasn't long until we made it 1-3 and Levante didn't have chance to respond. We controlled the game well and then hit the fourth goal. It was a disciplined, complete performance. It's not easy to come here, win, and play like that."