Jorge Valdano, Real Madrid player from 1984 to 1987 and coach of the team from 1994 to 1996, analyzed the chronic problems that Real Madrid displayed in their tough 0-2 defeat against Celta and discussed Xabi Alonso’s situation in the middle of the club’s crisis of results.

"There are some chronic problems at Real Madrid, such as the team’s difficulty in pressing. And these are directly related to morale and motivation," the former coach of Tenerife, Real Madrid, and Valencia explained on ‘Fútbol en Movistar Plus+’.

Valdano highlighted that "against Celta, Real Madrid went down to 10 men, and from that moment on they found an aggressiveness they had not shown for an hour, during which Celta, moving the ball with great clarity, tormented them."

"Pressing is important because when a team is focused on its responsibilities, it connects. On the field it connects too. It does not get distracted, it does not fall into moments of apathy. The team stays connected. Pressing serves that purpose," he said.

The Argentine emphasized pressing problems as one of Real Madrid’s biggest weaknesses: "Now they need to press for real. Like they did when they were down to 10 men. As César Luis Menotti used to say: 'It’s not about just going forward and clearing the ball. It’s about going forward and biting.' These are two totally different things."

He also pointed to Real Madrid’s attack as the starting point of the issue: "You have to start at the top, which is where the hardest work is. Real Madrid’s two great forwards are very unpredictable, but they struggle to win the first battle, and from there the chain of consequences ends up punishing the whole team." He referred to Kylian Mbappé, saying "he took a free kick and had that chip which was close to a goal. Very little for a player who might be the best in the world and someone you must constantly look for," and to Vinicius, noting that "it took him 35 minutes to get into the game."

Regarding Xabi Alonso’s controversial situation at a struggling Real Madrid, the 70-year-old former footballer was clear: "I consider Xabi Alonso a competent coach. The players are the ones not running, not the coach."

"We need to activate the team’s aggression, and that is the players’ responsibility. The coach must maintain order, keep the team motivated... that is his job, but I was surprised that after such a complete performance in Bilbao, the team lacked aggression and took so long to wake up. Only when the situation becomes desperate, when you are losing 0-1, when a player is sent off, when everything gets complicated, do they activate another level of commitment," Valdano said on Movistar, in comments reproduced by El Mundo Deportivo.

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