Transcript: Xabi Alonso’s Post-Match Press Conference Following Real Madrid’s Loss vs Celta Vigo
Real Madrid failed to cut into the four-point lead of Barcelona at the top of the standings. They lost 2-0 at the Bernabeu to Celta Vigo. Los Blancos were reduced to nine men, with Fran Garcia and Álvaro Carreras seeing red in the second half.
It was the first win at the Bernabeu in 19 years for Os Celestes, with the home side very upset with the referee's performance.
Head coach Xabi Alonso was unhappy with the outcome of the game, but wanted to turn the page as quicky as possible. Luckily, it's another quick turnaround as they face Manchester City in the Champions League.
👔 @XabiAlonso: “On Wednesday, we have a Champions League match to remove this bad taste from our mouths.”
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 7, 2025
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Xabi Alonso spoke to the media after the club's loss to Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu. (per Real Madrid.com).
"We had planned for this match after the Bilbao game to play at a high tempo and press against a good opponent. We were lacking in some areas, and the injury disrupted our plans. It's bad news; we're already struggling with injuries. This is another significant setback. We struggled to react; perhaps our best reaction came when we were down to ten men. The team pressed hard, we ran, and we tried. We understand that the fans left angry. We have to show a different side on Wednesday."Xabi Alonso
Q: Can this be turned around?
Alonso: “If we all stick together, knowing that this is football, we can reverse the situation. There’s still a long season ahead, and having a bad game at home is normal. It’s not ideal, but we have to look ahead. We know what self-criticism and high standards this club demands. We know that defeats hurt a lot.”
Q: Champions League match:
Alonso: “We’re playing for three Champions League points. It’s a competition where we’re in a good position, and that’s what’s at stake. But we want to perform well, play a good match, and show that we can play better than we did today. We’re aware of that.”
Q: What do you think is happening in the locker room?
Alonso: “The referee’s decisions have frustrated us. The sending-off of Álvaro (Carreras), then the slowing down… He wasn’t disrupting Celta’s rhythm or warning them at all, he was very permissive. I didn’t like the performance. The card for Carreras was very debatable, it seemed like he was being deliberate. That’s what threw us off a bit in those phases of the game. I didn’t like the refereeing today.”
Q: Do you understand the fans' anger?
Alonso: “We're focused on the next thing, and the next thing is Wednesday. A home defeat hurts, but we have to look ahead together. With the pride and the necessary commitment to represent what we represent. Wednesday is our immediate goal.”
Q: Lack of intensity:
Alonso: “We all take the blame. We're all in this together through thick and thin. We have to handle it with the responsibility we have to assume. We shouldn't look too far ahead. The situation is tight because of the injuries; we have to change things every game. We'll see what happens on Wednesday.”
“This is everyone’s responsibility, not just the players, coaching staff, or the club. We all have to commit to doing things right and approach each match as the most important one. Today, the three points we dropped are important, but not decisive. There’s still a long way to go. It’s a responsibility and a job for everyone to do together.”
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— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 7, 2025
Q: Mastantuono and Ceballos:
Alonso: “Franco is regaining his form after his groin injury. He needs to work and train more. He's getting closer to playing. He's being included in the squads, so he's available. With Militão 's substitution, we opted for more attacking players. Rodrygo and Gonzalo came on, and Gonzalo had a good chance.”
Q: Is the team struggling to create chances?
Alonso: “We know these are situations we’ll face many times. Sometimes we’ve attacked well, other times we’ve struggled. When we’ve been down to 10 men, we’ve created more chances than in the first half. It’s a matter of finding them and working on them.”
Q: The game plan:
Alonso: “We’re at a point where injuries are piling up. Today we had to modify our game plan due to Militão ’s absence . We need to find consistency, but the team wants to compete, to build a solid foundation, regardless of whether we’re having good or bad spells. We’re on the right track.”
Q: Regarding the next match:
Alonso: “We’re playing for three points in the next game. It’s an important and exciting match. There’s a lot of work going on every day at Valdebebas with the players, preparing for each game. That’s what we need to focus on.”
Q: The team's situation
Alonso: “For me, it's three points. It hurts, we're not happy. We're angry, and we share that feeling with everyone. We wanted to be a little higher up the table than we are now, but there's still a long way to go. Now we have the next match. This is football, and it always happens like this.”
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Jordan Merritt is a freelance soccer writer who covers Real Madrid CF On SI. He is an obsessive soccer fan and an Arsenal supporter.
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