Showing posts with label XabiAlonso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label XabiAlonso. Show all posts
Monday, 25 April 2016
Sunday, 22 June 2014
Thursday, 19 June 2014
Dominance Now Over - Xabi Alonso
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| Getty Images |
Xabi Alonso says his country's dominance of world football is over after the defending champions' shock World Cup exit in Brazil.
Defeat by Chile after a 5-1 thrashing by the Netherlands means the Euro 2012 winners cannot qualify from Group B.
"We didn't know how to maintain our hunger or that conviction needed to win a tournament," said the 32-year-old Real Madrid midfielder.
"The joy and success we've experienced is over."
On Tuesday, the former Liverpool man claimed media reports that the current generation were past their best were "a little exaggerated", but speaking after their latest loss, he said: "Normally cycles come to an end after a defeat.
"Maybe it would be best to think about making changes."
Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque says there will be consequences of his side's exit and hinted his six-year reign as national boss may be coming to an end.
"It's true that when such things happen during a World Cup or a tournament such things have consequences," he said.
"We have time to analyse that and it is not the right time now. There will be time to think and reflect what we are going to do.
"I think this team is good but we have to take a decision about what is good for Spanish football and that applies to myself as well."
He said his side were "sluggish and not brave enough" in the 2-0 loss to Chile, while captain Iker Casillas admitted that "the commitment wasn't there".
"From the very first moment everything went awry," said the goalkeeper.
Spain went into the tournament having triumphed at their last three major tournaments - the European Championships of 2008 and 2012, and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
But La Roja's campaign in Brazil got off to a humiliating start when the Dutch came from behind to rout them in their opening game and when they succumbed to two first-half goals by Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz at the Maracana on Wednesday, their reign as champions came to an abrupt halt.
On Monday, Spain face Australia, also eliminated after a 3-2 defeat by the Netherlands, in a battle to avoid finishing bottom of the group, while conquerors Chile take on the Dutch for top spot in Group B.
The South American side's coach Jorge Sampaoli had some sympathy for Spain and described his side as the "rebels" of the tournament.
"In football everything changes," said the Argentine.
"Spain has played very well over the years and had wonderful performances but today that generation of players couldn't keep that success going, and that's normal because success is not forever."
He added: "We have a chance to see if this is the best Chile team ever but that is something we can only say after the tournament is over.
"We were very courageous in the way that we played and you could say that we are the rebels of this tournament."
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Madrid Add Sevilla Defeat
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| Getty Images |
Real Madrid suffered their second La Liga loss of the week and lost ground in the title race with a 2-1 defeat at fifth-placed Sevilla.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a deflected free kick for Real, who were beaten by Barcelona on Sunday.
Madrid missed a host of chances, which included Ronaldo hitting the post before the break.
Carlos Bacca equalised and superb play from Ivan Rakitic created Bacca's second.
The visitors still had their chances to take at least a point, with Ronaldo and Gareth Bale spurning chances.
The defeat, coupled with wins for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, means Carlo Ancelotti's side have dropped to third in La Liga.
They are three points behind leaders Atletico,who defeated Granada 1-0, and two below Barcelona, who beat Celta Vigo 3-0, with eight games to play.
It is the first time Real have lost two successive league matches since May 2009.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti:
"In one sense the defeat could be deserved because we didn't prepare well for the counter-attack which Sevilla had and they scored two goals.
"We conceded two goals in the same way on the counter-attack when we needed more balance.
"We need to concentrate on our own games, it is true we have lost two games in a row and that is not good at this point in the season.
"We need to believe that we can win it still. We are three points behind Atletico and two behind Barcelona, everything is still possible."
Real Madrid's remaining games
29 March v Rayo Vallecano (h)
5 April v Real Sociedad (a)
12 April v Almeria (h)
27 April v Osasuna (h)
4 May v Valencia (h)
7 May v Real Valladolid (a)
11 May v Celta de Vigo (h)
18 May v Espanyol (h)
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
No Real Xabi Pirlo Swap
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| Getty Images |
Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Xabi Alonso remains a vital player for Real Madrid and dismissed the idea of an exchange deal to bring in Andrea Pirlo from Juventus.
There has been speculation about the future of both midfielders as they approach the end of their respective contracts, and Ancelotti knows Pirlo well from their time together at AC Milan.
However, the Real boss has ruled out a move for his fellow Italian and given his full backing to Spain international Alonso.
The former Liverpool man has also been linked with a return to the Premier League, but Ancelotti is adamant that he wants Alonso to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu and play an important role.
"Xabi is a vital player for Madrid now that he's recovered from injury. There are only two players like him in Europe. One is Pirlo and the other is Xabi," Ancelotti told Mediaset.
"However, we have no intention of making a player exchange deal with Juventus. There is no substance to any rumour like that.
"I am still in touch with Andrea because I have a good relationship with him. I was pleased to see the Madrid fans give him a warm welcome when we met."
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