2025 CWC: Alonso hails Valverde, Garcia after Real Madrid win over Juventus
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso is delighted with Federico Valverde and young striker Gonzalo Garcia after Los Blancos’ 1-0 win over Juventus in the Club World Cup round of 16 in Miami.
The narrow win, secured through a second-half goal from Garcia, sets up a quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund.
Speaking post-match, Alonso praised the team’s performance and progress.
“The victory tastes very good,” he told Diario AS. “In this format, every game is knockout. We are in the quarter-finals. We continue to grow, and that counts for a lot.”
Garcia continued his excellent tournament form, netting his third goal in four games.
Alonso applauded the 21-year-old’s impact but remained non-committal on whether Kylian Mbappe would reclaim his starting spot now that he’s recovered from illness.
“I’m happy for him, for the team. He is giving a very good performance and taking advantage of the minutes he gets,” Alonso said.
“We’ll see how Mbappe feels. We have three days to assess him.”
Alonso reserved special praise for Valverde, who was named Player of the Match.
“He makes my life much easier,” the coach said. “He’s a top player, he does everything well, with pride, and drags his teammates along.”
Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, with the match scheduled for July 5 at MetLife Stadium in New York.
