Xabi Alonso: "We’re playing against a giant of European football, it’s all or nothing"

Xabi Alonso spoke to the press gathered in the media room at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium to assess the upcoming clash with Juventus (9:00 pm CEST; 3:00 pm local time) in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16: "In any World Cup, once you come through the group stage, then the decisive games start – it’s all or nothing. We’re playing against a giant of European football in Juve, they’re going to demand a lot of us. It has to be a good display in football terms and from a mental perspective, in terms of concentration levels. We've been preparing for it over the last few days and everything is in place for tomorrow."

Is this the first real test?
"No. It’s a very important game because this World Cup is a different competition and we know how decisive the match is. But it’s not the first key test, it’s more a case of it being a very important game.”

Mbappé
"He’s fine. We’re talking to him every day, he’s feeling much better and we’ll speak to him again tomorrow morning to make a final decision. There's every chance he could play.”

Davide Ancelotti believes you're the second best coach in the world
"We have a great relationship because we spent time together in two different spells, both at Real Madrid and at Bayern. I have to thank him, because I’m not sure what I am right now, all I know is that I’m where I want to be. Compared to mine, Carlo has a far broader career. I’m incredibly honoured and very proud to be taking over from him. We’re starting out following an incredible era led by Carlo, Davide, Francesco, all the guys who were here. Time will tell.”

The role of the academy
“Our idea, first and foremost, is to win games. How, and with which players, will depend on the resources we have, both in terms of the first team and the Castilla lads, who are helping out a lot and showing real quality. The Real Madrid academy has always produced players with the highest competitive levels. They have to be given an opportunity. Gonzalo is doing a great job, as did Asencio when Ancelotti gave him the chance. There will be more to come in the future. They have to be given a bit of space, although Madrid is extremely demanding and you're obliged to keep winning."

On Rodrygo
“After the game I try and acknowledge all the guys I pass as I move around. He got some minutes, which were hugely important for him, and he'll have a big role to play. In these tournaments, sometimes the guys who start and the guys who come on can be equally as important. They can make a crucial impact, so every player needs to be ready for whenever he's called upon. They all have a great attitude. Rodrygo is training well and he seems fine to me. Then I have to make a decision as to who plays."

New faces in the squad
"Both Carvajal and Militão are coming into the squad tomorrow after a very long time out. It's a boost for them, but for the group as well, to have them around. Both the guys who are playing and those who are around the place have a key role to play. When they're watching the game from the dugout and cheering the team on, you get that connection and it's important. They’ll need to get some game time in order to find their match sharpness, but once they get back into the swing of things, they’ll be hugely important for us next season.”

Tactical priorities 
“One of the first things I said was about the distances between us. The closer we can be to each other, with the ball and without it, the more control we'll have and that will make the press easier. It's all linked. The attitude is vital, but we need to be organised too. When those things come together, that's when a team defends best."

Enjoy all the videos from this match on RM Play

Use of a drone in training
“We use the drone to try and record the sessions from a different perspective in order to see the distances, for tactical elements and movement, because we don't have the fixed cameras we get at Valdebebas. That's something we did at Leverkusen and we've brought it here. Many clubs do it, I don't think we're pioneers, but we are using it."

Facing Ramos in the quarter-finals 
“We have to win tomorrow first and I hope I can answer that question further. We played many games together and had a close friendship. I'm delighted to see him continue to perform at his age, with that youthfulness and desire to keep playing. I hope we can meet each other in the quarters."

The competition
“It's thrown up a lot of challenges so far. We knew we'd be ready but it's such an intense competition, with not much time between games, which makes it difficult to kick things off or lay a solid foundation. We're spending a lot of time together, which allows us to strengthen relationships, which is vital. We want to deliver tomorrow."

Playing at midday
“We'll try and come into it better hydrated. Against Al Hilal we hadn't been here long and the acclimatisation wasn't ideal. After being here adapting for almost two weeks, things are better. We're monitoring our hydration levels because that's crucial. We're not used to playing at 3:00 pm with the humidity and the heat as it is. We'll be pleased if it's overcast, but if not, we'll play regardless."

How have his first weeks been?
“This is the third week since we started and I'm pleased and eager to keep going. It reminds me in many ways of the camps I used to be involved in as a player, because many of the people around the club are the same, but now it's a different role. Now I have to organise, make decisions, set things up. But many things don't change. It's about managing players and individuals and forging relationships and strong bonds that will help you to build for the future. Spending so much time together is helping us to speed that process up. You have breakfast, lunch and dinner together. When it comes to an end we'll take some time out, like in any relationship, and we'll see each other for next season. The best way to build is without forcing things. I'm feeling really comfortable."

Decisions
“There are things we can get a bit of a feeling for, but of course things may be repeated in the future. This competition is a bit different to what we'll have during the season, it's a bit of an express format. Now we're heading into the knockout rounds and it's a little different in terms of sharing minutes or workload around. You have to be a little more cut-throat in each match. We're still in the preparation phase and we're getting to know each other. Day by day we're laying the groundwork for when we start out again in August."

On Juventus
“They're a very intense side. They are clear in their ideas, and have great collective and individual quality. They have lots of top-level players. I'm sure we'll be up against a tough, top quality outfit. We won't be looking at the last game against City, we have other reference points. We'll be ready for them."

Performances
“We're trying to prepare as well as possible. We're into the knockout rounds with the 10 best teams and we'll have to deliver and perform at our best. I feel great and I'm really enjoying it all. We're focused on making the next round. It's a very intense competition."

On the Club World Cup
“We're not thinking about the mid or long term. We're out of the group stage, and all we're thinking about now is Juventus. We place value on the World Cup. It's already becoming more important. Tomorrow (or today), we've got a huge game. Football people are enjoying the format and we're totally focused."

Fede Valverde
“I can see him all over the place, like Steven Gerrard back in the day. With the ability we've got and the balance we need, he could do well bursting forward from deep. He's got that acceleration and the ability to break through lines easily. We're using him well there at the moment, but well aware of his attributes. His greatest strength isn't receiving the ball with his back to goal, it's facing the play. He's hit two goals, he's got that ability to burst forward and get into the box."

What's changed as a coach?
“When I finished at Leverkusen after three years, with pretty much the same squad, we understood each other by saying very little. Now, perhaps, we don't understand each other so well or so quickly. The approach or certain concepts take a little bit longer to bed in. Our understanding will become far more dynamic over time. The individual quality is there, and we have to bring that collective clarity to get the best out of it. We're at World Cup and the competition is demanding, but we want to keep laying that foundation."

His feelings
“It's too early to assess my feelings. I'm in a great place and highly motivated. That gives me the energy to keep going, we have a lot of challenges to deal with. Tomorrow, we'll be up against a European team, but there are lots of wonderful teams here."

On Trent
“He can play in different systems and positions. In the Pachuca game, since we played almost the full 90 minutes with 10 men, it was a bit different. I read the data, I analyse it, but I always like to have context. He's just getting started. He's one of the top players in the world, but change takes time. He's settling in well, we're happy with him."

The South American teams
“I've been impressed by both the Argentine teams. I haven't seen so much of Boca but I've seen a fair bit of River. Although they didn't make the round of 16, they competed really well against Inter. The sending-off made the difference in the game. You can really feel what this World Cup means to the Brazilian sides. Both the teams and the fans. That desire gives them an extra push. Flamengo played really well against Bayern. Fluminense are in the quarter-finals already, and Palmeiras as well. That's good news. We watch more European football, given the timetables, but we can see there are good things happening elsewhere too."

The Mbappé-Vini Jr. duo
“Our plan is to make the most of our play and the collective approach. We want all of us to work as a team, and ensure the eleven players are committed in every phase of the play, in what we want to do with and without the ball. Then individual quality will benefit. That's where the forwards have to make the difference. They're the players who have to come up with something different in the final third. I'd struggle to teach Mbappé how to dribble, but we can look at how he can get into the right positions."

Mbappé's leadership
“He's already a leader due to his impact and influence. We all need to be committed to the collective approach. We all have to enjoy doing what's required of us, whether we have the ball or not. Whoever is on the pitch has to do that. The same goes for Kylian, for Huijsen, Tchouameni, Ceballos. The demands are the same for every single player."