Transcript: Xabi Alonso Proud Of Players Despite Real Madrid's Loss vs Barcelona

Real Madrid lost its third consecutive cup final against rivals Barcelona. Los Blancos lost a thrilling game 3-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final, with a deflected Raphinha goal the difference.

Xabi Alonso had mixed emotions about the result. Not winning hurt, but he was proud of how his team performed, seeing his team push until the end to lift the trophy.

Vinicius Jr. had an unbelievable game, and his head coach was super complimentary about the Brazilian's performance. He also touched on Kylian Mbappe's return.

👔 @XabiAlonso: “We competed and fought right to the end.”
🎙️ Press conference ➡️ RM Play
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 11, 2026

Xabi Alonso spoke to the media after the 3-2 Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona. (per Real Madrid).

“There are mixed emotions. On the one hand, the disappointment of not being able to win the final, but there is also pride because the team gave their all from the first minute to the last, despite some undesirable circumstances. We competed and tried until the very end. The final was very evenly matched, with different phases, different circumstances, goals, and reactions. We tried until the very end and came very close, with those last two chances to equalize and force penalties.”
Xabi Alonso

Q: On commitment:

Alonso: “The team showed great attitude and commitment. There were going to be times when we needed resilience without the ball and conviction in what we were doing. In the first 30 minutes, we barely conceded and had two good counter-attacks. We lost possession and conceded the first goal, and a lot happened in the last 15 minutes of the first half. The second half was quite competitive and evenly matched. We conceded the third goal from a rebound, and I was convinced we would have chances to equalize, and we did, but we lacked the finishing touch to force penalties.”

Q: Did physical condition play a role in the final minutes?

Alonso: “We had our chances. Injuries affect you. Fede's substitution due to injury. Huijsen made a great effort and got as far as he did... It wasn't physical condition, but injuries, which are penalizing us in terms of distributing minutes and having stability. Some players are making a great effort and it shows.”

Q: Praise for Vini Jr.

Alonso: “He played very well until the 85th minute. He had a great impact but couldn't continue due to the humidity and the cramps he was experiencing. He asked to be substituted. He played a great match. He was a game-changer and the goal was spectacular. He was a real threat.”

Q: On Mbappé:

Alonso: “I was going to come on before we conceded the 3-2. There were 15 or 20 minutes left, and we wanted him to create an imbalance, a threat, and to link up play between the lines or in space. We wanted to inject some pressure into those 15 or 20 minutes with the substitutions and fresh energy. He wasn't ready to start in a match with the intensity it was going to have, and it was better to use him to make an impact. That was the idea, and that's what we decided.”

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