Transcript: Xabi Alonso Reacts To Simeone Comments After Real Madrid's Win vs Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid booked their place in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, beating rivals Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They will face Barcelona in the final on January 11.

Xabi Alonso was asked about the confrontation between Atletico head coach Diego Simeone and Vinicius Jr. The Spaniard was unhappy with the words his counterpart spoke to his player, calling them unacceptable.

There was even an update regarding Kylian Mbappe, who missed the semi-final with an injury.

🫂🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/4LnCJmUiJl
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 8, 2026

Xabi Alonso spoke to the media after the 2-1 Spanish Super Cup semi-final win over Atletico Madrid. (per Real Madrid).

"It was a very hard-fought match. Fede 's early goalgave us the advantage and changed everything a bit because now we have something to defend. In the first half, we hardly suffered, and there were moments for everything. It was a semifinal, and this team knows how to play semifinals and how to compete. The objective was to reach the final."
Xabi Alonso

Q: On Valverde's stunning goal:

Alonso: "He had a fantastic game. Not just for the goal and the assist, but for everything he brought to the full-back position, both defensively and offensively. He's incredibly intense, and that's just his competitive spirit. I'm really happy for him, and the goal has given him that extra boost of confidence. It was a classic Fede goal. An impressive strike.

Q: Simeone's words to Vini Jr. after the substitution:

Alonso: “First of all, I try to be respectful to the opposing team's players and I don't usually speak to them. When I read and heard what he said to him, I liked it even less. What he said wasn't a good example of sportsmanship, and for me, not everything is acceptable. You have to respect your opponent, and everything that happens on the field has its limits.”

Q: Regarding the substitutions of Rüdiger and Asencio:

Alonso: “Antonio was having knee problems; he made a huge effort and couldn't go on. Raúl was also struggling, and we needed fresh legs in that defensive line. Fran and Ferland came on well, and with Jude in the double pivot, we strung together a bit more passes and stabilized our game. In the final stages, we had to focus more on defending the result. We'll have to see if we have more players back for Sunday as well.”

Q: On Mbappé:

Alonso: “The final will be different, and Mbappé is traveling tomorrow. He’s much better. He’s been training and he feels good. His chances of playing are the same as everyone else in the squad.”

❤️‍🔥 That's how much it means. pic.twitter.com/xvVHSE6NNh
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 8, 2026

Q: Did you overuse Courtois' long balls?

Alonso: "We had discussed it in some situations, and in others we lacked a bit of composure to link up and create better chances. We had talked about not always starting with short passes, and the free kick that led to Fede's goal was a pass from Gonzalo that Jude lays off between the lines."

The Latest Real Madrid News

Atletico Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid: Report & Full Match Highlights As Valverde Stars

Real Madrid Transfer News: Potential Alexander-Arnold Exit, Guehi, Lunin, & More

Bundesliga Defender Reportedly Edging Towards Move To Real Madrid

Real Madrid Transfer News: Vinicius Jr. To Chelsea Update, Jacquet, Rudiger, & More