Xabi Alonso focused on the Madrid derby after beating Levante in La Liga, as the club eyes Bayern’s Olise
Real Madrid moved to 18 points in the La Liga table after beating Levante 4-1 in an excellent performance. Goals from Vinicius Jr., Franco Mastantuono, and a brace from Kylian Mbappe eased the white team to victory, but they had a mini scare early in the second half when Levante pulled a goal back to make it 2-1.
Xabi Alonso was pleased with the performance, but said it's just the beginning with more to come from his team. The focus now shifts to the Madrid derby this Saturday.
Alonso said after the match, “We're in a growth phase, still under construction. We're 51 days in, and there's still a long way to go. We're building a solid foundation to be competitive in La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey. Many people in the team feel connected and important. There are still some things to improve, but the path is looking good; not just because of the results but also because of the way we're doing things. We have to keep going, we can't stop. This is just the beginning, and we want to keep competing well.’’
The manager also spoke about squad rotation,” Having quality players makes it a lot easier, as they understand the idea and what we want with little training; they are flexible, they can play not just one way but in different ways, and even in different positions. Today, we thought it was opportune because some players had to rest, as is the case with Mili and Carva. After their injuries, we didn't want them to play three ninety-minute games in a row. Everyone who came on came in very well. We don't have to get too worked up about it either. We're on a good path, we're happy, and we have to keep going. Now we're thinking about the derby.’’
Speaking specifically about Camavinga's role, Alonso said, “You've already seen it. He's made a run that crossed the lines; he started in the six-man zone and ended up in the ten-man zone, practically ending up in the back line. He's very dynamic, and he has a lot of qualities. I've had him since I've been here at the club, but he wasn't available, and little by little he's coming in. Jude has also been able to play more minutes, and that's very important.’’
Elsewhere, Real Madrid have reportedly earmarked Bayern Munich attacker Michael Olise as one of their top targets for next summer.
Premier League outfit Manchester City have been previously linked with a move for the former Crystal Palace winger, but Los Blancos are leading the race already.
Olise moved to Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024 for a fee of around £52m, and he has already established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s standout performers.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a “phenomenal” debut campaign for Bayern, hitting double figures for both goals and assists in the Bundesliga, as Bayern snatched the league title from Bayer Leverkusen last season.
The French winger has been outstanding for the German champions this season, and he has already produced some virtuoso performances.
It comes as no surprise that several heavyweight European clubs are vying for his signature. According to journalist Alan Nixon, Real Madrid are keen to sign the winger, who has been compared to club legends Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Luca Toni by Bayern legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
With 24 goals and 26 assists since he arrived at the Allianz Arena, Olise has proved to be an excellent signing for Die Roten.
No other player has more direct involvement in goals than Harry Kane in Germany’s top-flight across all competitions, which highlights his importance to Bayern.
Olise has a contract at the Allianz Arena until 2029, and Bayern have no intention of selling him.
It is no secret that players do get tempted if Real Madrid comes calling, but Los Blancos will need to come up with a massive transfer fee to tempt Bayern into entering into a negotiation.
