The signing Xabi Alonso demanded to win the Champions League with Real Madrid

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24/05/25 16:15:00

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Real Madrid is already starting to outline the next season, and one of the most delicate points revolves around the choice of the new coach. Xabi Alonso, current coach of Bayer Leverkusen and the primary candidate to take over the reins at the Santiago Bernabéu, has set a clear condition to accept the challenge: strengthening the defense. The Basque, familiar with the club's DNA and Europe's competitive level, deems it essential to bolster the backline if the team aims seriously for the Champions League.

The three defenders liked by Xabi Alonso

Although there isn't yet a closed agreement between both parties, the Basque coach has already shared with the white directive a list of center-backs he deems crucial for his project. In that trio, three significant names stand out: Dean Huijsen, a promising young talent owned by Bournemouth; William Saliba, a cornerstone of Arsenal; and Cristian "Cuti" Romero, a World Cup winner with Argentina and a standout at Tottenham. Alonso doesn't demand all three but insists on the necessity of having at least one of them.

The defensive demand isn't new in the discourse of the future Madrid coach. For Alonso, balance originates from a solid rearguard capable of supporting the high block he proposes in his teams. Recurrent injuries in the Merengues' defense, coupled with the lack of reliable substitutes, have made the need for a renewal in that line evident. His arrival in the dugout hinges precisely on that reinforcement guarantee at the back.

Real Madrid is assessing the economic viability of the operations, knowing convincing Arsenal or Tottenham won't be an easy task. Nevertheless, Xabi Alonso's insistence makes it clear that he won't take on the challenge without the necessary tools. His support for Saliba, Huijsen, or Romero as pillars of the new project reveals the competitive profile he intends to implement in the capital.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El fichaje que exigió Xabi Alonso para ganar la Champions con el Real Madrid