‘What you notice about Mbappe is’ – Alonso on individuals and Franco Mastantuono

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso appeared most happy with match-winner Kylian Mbappe and debutant Franco Mastantuono following his first La Liga game in charge. Their 1-0 win over Osasuna was also occasion for kind words for the returning Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao.

Los Blancos ran out victors in the end with two debuts in Alvaro Carreras and Mastantuono, while Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold also made their first appearances at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“What I saw was that neither the shirt nor the Bernabeu weighed on them. The four of them had performances, that were good, serious, perhaps not spectacular, but correct. Franco ruffled some feathers when he came on, and added attitude. I’m happy with the victory though, and I’m happy to return to the Bernabeu. You imagine what you can achieve, and it excites you.”

Outside of Huijsen, Mastantuono was perhaps the most exciting of the lot.

“We saw some of the things we could get out of him, and he has the look of a good player right? It’s true he hasn’t been training with us, but he has been preparing himself. And today, well the emotional side maybe weighs more than the physical.”

The new Real Madrid manager also felt that he was seeing a difference in Mbappe, whether it be down to him wearing the number 10 or not.

“I think Kylian, after the first year, and having done a lot of good things, wants more. I don’t know if that is becuase of a number, or his ambition to win. If he can give more on a collective level, on an individual level, and it’s because of the number, fantastic. But what you notice about Kylian, on a day to day basis, is that he wants more. He generated those plays that were a little bit different, that he always does, that end up being decisive.”

Another player that earned praise from Alonso was Arda Guler, who started and was only withdrawn in stoppage time – a relative rarity for him last season.

“Since we’ve been here, he’s been taking steps forward, not just without the ball, but his way of managing position, his way of connecting the team, of engaging. And in the first half he made some good runs back, recovered the ball and allowed us to continue attacking. This is what we have to keep pushing him towards, he is doing it, and we’re happy with him.”

The Basque manager was also happy with his backline. It was a momentous occasion for Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, who returned to action at the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time since October and November respectively.

“Very happy with Dean, who deserved to start. I was very happy for Militao too, after the injury, he played a very serious game.”

“Not only what he can give on the pitch, but off it. He’s a captain, he’s spent many hours at the Bernabeu, he knows what you have to do to win, and he has to communicate that to the others. He will be fundamental for us. And Carva is now back.”