Xabi Alonso does the unprecedented at Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso is making his tactical mark at Real Madrid.

The right flank has long been a hotbed for players with the ability to break through, dribble and create chances. Real Madrid once had the energetic and sharp Rodrygo in that area. But under Xabi Alonso, things have changed dramatically.

Xabi Alonso's manifesto

Without any fanfare or noisy revolution, with just subtle tactical adjustments, Xabi quietly erased the role of the classic right winger. That position - once considered an indispensable part of Real's attacking DNA - has now all but disappeared.

Rodrygo is not in decline. He is not out of favor. But simply, the new system has no place for him.

In the last three matches, the Brazilian player has only appeared for 23 minutes. For Ancelotti, Rodrygo is an important piece in the 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 formation, being the one who sticks to the wing, dribbles the ball, and finishes.

But with Xabi, football based on structure and system completely changed the way the right wing operated, where Rodrygo - still full of quality - became a superfluous detail.

What is remarkable is that Xabi did not leave the right wing empty. He “redefined” it. And the main character in this process is none other than Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The English defender did not come here to run down the flanks like a machine, nor to launch risky breakthroughs. He came here to become a “playmaker from the wing” – someone who organizes the game from the flank, with thinking, vision and razor-sharp passes.

Valverde is Xabi Alonso's main card at the moment.

The match against Juventus in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 is a prime example. Trent's masterful assist for Gonzalo was not a random moment, but the product of a clearly designed tactical structure.

Trent doesn't look for one-on-one situations. Instead, he extends his influence by passing, creating and linking up the play. In this way, football becomes a chain of interlocking links – not individual solos, but seamless combinations.

But for Trent to do that, Xabi needs a “protector.” And he has Valverde - a silent but effective warrior.

Valverde's mark

The Uruguayan not only pushes forward to support the attack, but also drops back to cover and fill the gap left by Trent after each attack. His constant presence, tireless movement and sharp tactical thinking make Valverde an irreplaceable link.

In fact, Valverde was also tested as a right winger in the early days of the “Xabi era.” But after Asensio's red card against Pachuca, he was pulled back into midfield – and has since flourished.

The two goals at the Club World Cup were clear evidence of Valverde's influence in his new role. The right flank is no longer occupied by a classic attacker, but is now a combination of a holding defender and a versatile midfielder.

Xabi Alonso is carrying out a tactical revolution at Real Madrid.

This is more than just a tactical adaptation – it is a statement. Xabi Alonso is taking Real Madrid into a new era, where system trumps individuality, where tactical efficiency replaces traditional habits. The right wing – a symbol of speed, technique and risk-taking for years – is now a corridor of precision, discipline and organization.

But any revolution needs time to prove its worth. Taking Real to the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup is a good start, but to convince the Bernabeu - a place that always worships flashy and explosive players - Xabi needs more than that. He needs results, trophies, and above all, stability.

The disappearance of a position is not uncommon in modern football. But for a club like Real Madrid, which values tradition, to have the courage to remove a right winger from their formation is a bold move. And if it works, Xabi Alonso may be remembered not as a successor, but as a revolutionary.

Source: https://znews.vn/xabi-alonso-lam-dieu-chua-tung-co-o-real-madrid-post1565925.html