On 19 August Actual Madrid begin their new La Liga marketing campaign at house in opposition to Osasuna with Xabi Alonso in cost for his first league sport. That might have appeared unthinkable solely three years in the past when he had simply taken over at Bayer Leverkusen.
He admitted considering: “What am I doing here? … Why did we rent this man from Actual Sociedad B?” however the Bundesliga aspect knew what they had been doing. Inside two years he had taken them to a historic double in addition to the Europa League last. The 2023-24 league title was secured by going undefeated. Final season they completed second behind Bayern Munich – no imply feat – and on 25 Might he was confirmed as Carlo Ancelotti's alternative as supervisor for Los Blancos.
After a Membership World Cup ending in a 4-0 semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain the 43-year-old faces arguably the most important problem of his profession. “I used to be shocked by what he did at Leverkusen,” says Gaizka Ayesa, who performed below Alonso for Actual Sociedad B from 2020 to 2022. “I knew what sort of coach he was and what he might do however to go so lengthy with out dropping … I feel even he was shocked.”
Urgent, techniques and video work
To actually perceive Alonso's rise, it's important to return to his beginnings. To begin out as a coach, the Basque returned to his past love, Actual Sociedad, the place he had launched his enjoying profession. With the reserve staff, the place he spent three years and achieved a historic promotion to Spain's second division (2019-22), the Tolosa-born former midfielder labored diligently within the shadows, with none stress however with already well-defined ideas. “His objective was to develop a really offensive fashion of play with fast ball recoveries after dropping possession. The concept was to create gaps and exploit them as quick as doable,” recollects Théo Lucbert, a winger for Poitiers who skilled below Alonso at Actual Sociedad. “His fashion was a bit completely different from what you see now. Again then, he preferred his full-backs to assist extra in the midst of the pitch, whereas at Bayer, they play virtually like wingers.”
And that is maybe what you'd name the “Xabi contact”: tactical adaptability. The 2010 World Cup winner with Spain is a grasp at maximising his gamers' strengths whereas minimising their weaknesses by delicate changes. “He ready us for matches extraordinarily properly,” says Imanol Ezkurdia, a centre-back at Guijuelo, who had just below three seasons below Alonso's steerage. “He at all times knew precisely what was going to occur. He would inform us: ‘This and this and it will occur,' after which it truly did. It was spectacular.”
Alonso made heavy use of video evaluation earlier than matches. “We did a ton of video work,” says Ezkurdia. “He primarily confirmed us footage of ourselves – our coaching periods and former matches – to focus on what we had been doing properly and what wanted enhancing. Then we might work on these issues in coaching. After that, the whole lot grew to become simpler. Generally, although, he would additionally present us clips of our opponents.”
Lucbert provides: “Xabi used video to point out us how he needed us to play, particularly transitions in possession and when urgent. However he spent much more time on the pitch with us, drilling motion and decision-making so all of it grew to become automated.”
The brand new Actual Madrid supervisor leaves nothing to probability. Each participant's position was orchestrated like a superbly tuned symphony. “He needed me to assist quite a bit out of possession, to run into house, and to remain very cellular so I might press in a really organised method,” says the ahead Jorge Aguirre, who performed for Alonso in the course of the 2022-23 season and is now at Gil Vicente.
Ezkurdia was tasked with constructing out from the again – and to do it successfully: “On the time, we performed a four-man defence with two centre-backs. I typically performed within the center and typically at full-back however I had loads of freedom. We labored quite a bit on passing patterns and enjoying out from the again: quick passes, lengthy passes … Ultimately, I actually improved my ball management.”
Respect within the dressing room
To guide his groups to success, Alonso additionally locations a powerful emphasis on human connection and emotional management. Very near his gamers, he carries an aura that makes the squad members respect him. “The primary time he walked into the dressing room, I bear in mind being fully star-struck, even panicked,” smiles Ezkurdia. “I had watched him for years on TV, successful all these titles, a World Cup, Champions Leagues … He was actually my idol.
“I bear in mind he would typically play with us throughout coaching – and he was nonetheless the very best! He liked having the ball at his toes. After we skilled with him the whole lot felt simpler. Generally I needed to defend in opposition to him … His contact was unreal, and he cracked loads of jokes, too.” Ayesa provides. “He was very near us. All of the canteranos liked him.”
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Alonso's competitiveness additionally went down properly with the gamers. “He had a specific power: he needed to win above all else,” says Aguirre. “His mentality helped us; you might see that he needed to do issues in a giant method. He needed us to play each sport as if we had been going to die.”
Throughout Alonso's second season with Actual Sociedad B they received promotion to the Segunda División, a degree that they had not been at since 1962.
They received their playoff semi-final in opposition to FC Andorra earlier than beating Algeciras due to an extra-time objective from Jon Karrikaburu. “The ultimate was actually unbelievable,” says Aguirre. “Earlier than the sport, Xabi was very calm. On the day of the match, he simply informed us to remain calm and play our soccer. And it labored.” For Ezkurdia, the reminiscence continues to be vivid: “For me, it was the very best 12 months of my profession. We performed some wonderful soccer, we skilled amazingly properly, and on high of that, we acquired promoted … What extra might you ask for?”
On the last whistle, the celebration matched their effort on the pitch. Champagne flowing, images with the followers, Basque flags, singing and dancing. “It was an enormous second,” says Ayesa. “To have that probability to play within the second division was one thing loopy for us as a result of we had been all so younger and so glad. We celebrated it with him after we received.”
The next season was tougher. Relegation adopted however no one might take away that sensational 2020-21 marketing campaign from these gamers. Now Alonso is again in Spain prepared to jot down the following chapter. Will his strategies work with the superstars at Actual Madrid? Historical past suggests he'll discover a method.
