Kylian Mbappé has not yet disputed the slightest minute under the orders of Xabi Alonso, but the Real Madrid coach does not expect his arms crossed. A few days before the shock against Juventus, the Spaniard unveiled the main lines of his plan: no status apart, no pass-right. In Madrid, Mbappé will have “play with others ” And above all …
“to work”.
A promising, but demanding duo
The Basque technician wants to intelligently associate Vinicius and Mbappé, without freezing the positions: one in the axis, the other eccentric, but always in a strict collective framework. “They can do it”, said Alonso, refusing to consider them as juxtaposed individuals. His idea? Fluidity, alternation, and complementarity. But for it to work, everyone will have to make the efforts, in both directions on the ground.
Xabi Alonso warns: “Mbappé will have to adapt”
This speech may be hiding a first warning for Mbappé. Because Xabi Alonso did not dry up for … Vinicius, welcoming his withdrawal, his discipline, his ability to “stay linked” to the collective. In hollow, the contrast to Mbappé's freer profile is obvious. In this Real 2025, there is no question of reliving PSG's debates on the famous #pivotgang.
Mbappé under institutional control
The message is clear: at Real, we do not make his law on networks, and the tactical instructions come from the bench, not from the status. Alonso, renowned for its rigor and collective vision, will not tolerate a drift. Even a player as talented as Mbappé will have to be part of a more demanding mechanics than that known in Paris.
Faced with Juventus on Tuesday, the return of the Frenchman is hoped for, but there is no indication that he will be tenured from the start. Alonso wants to be cautious, but firm: Mbappé is expected, not praised. It is up to him to prove, as of now, that he can shine without derogating from the collective order Merengue.
