Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has insisted the humbling defeat at the hands of rivals Atlético Madrid could actually end up being positive for his side.
A 5–2 loss to their city rivals has heaped pressure on Alonso’s shoulders just a few months into the job, with many questioning his tactical setup and response to adversity on such a grand stage.
Alonso’s reign at the Santiago Bernabéu is just 14 games old, however, and he urged fans to see the defeat as a learning curve for a young team.
“It’s not just the attitude; I think it was the pace and tactical aspects that we’ve analyzed,” Alonso reflected. “I don’t just explain everything with attitude; that’s simplistic.
“We need to improve things at the game level. We didn’t compete well enough. That’s part of the adaptation process. We’ve been here for about 58 days. It hurt, but now we’re in Champions League mode.
“We’re still taking steps forward. Maybe to take two steps forward, you have to take one step back. We’re still defining what we want to be like, and we’re going to improve on that.”
