Alonso after beating Sociedad: Huesca didn't deserve a red card.. everyone will play with Real Madrid
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso spoke about his team's victory today, Saturday, September 13, against their opponent Real Sociedad in the match that brought the two teams together in the Spanish La Liga.
Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 in the match that brought them together in the fourth round of the Spanish La Liga 2025/2026.
With today's match result, Real Madrid's tally reaches 12 points, remaining at the top of the Spanish League standings, while Real Sociedad's tally stands at two points in sixteenth place.
Alonso's Press Conference After Real Madrid's Victory Against Sociedad
Alonso said in the press conference after today's match: “Huesca's red card? For me, it was a yellow card because Militao was close to him and he still had 40 meters to go, and Oyarzabal was not in control of the ball.”
He continued: “I was not entirely convinced by the referee's explanation. From then on, the course of the match changed. We played for nearly an hour with ten players. A 0-2 score was very important to give us this lead. Perhaps we needed some extra chances, but the team, in general, knew how to maintain the result. Winning here is always very difficult, and today it was even harder.”
He added: “VAR not intervening in the incident? When there are clear mistakes, I would be happy if VAR intervened. I don't want to make the press conference one-sided.”
He added: “The red card affected the match a lot. In the second half, we were forced to stay in a defensive area and not come out of our zone much, and this is normal. There was no doubt about the penalty, and a red card affects you a lot, but you also have to know how to play with ten men. There was a period in the second half where we retreated a lot, but we adapted. The substitutions went well.”
He continued: “Advice for Huesca not to repeat that? He is happy after this win and very angry about what happened. These mistakes could have been avoided because he still had a lot of distance to reach the goal, and Oyarzabal was not in control of the ball. There is no doubt about the foul, but the decision is not correct in my opinion.”
Regarding his opinion on the match, he said: “I watch all of Real Sociedad's matches. They should have earned more points, but I am sure the team is very good. Sergio (Bastien) is a very prepared coach, and victories will come sooner or later. The tribute was moving for what Toshack represents and what he has done for Real Sociedad, and his attractive personality. He was the first coach to give me the confidence to be a player here at Anoeta.”
He continued: “Players with less playing time? Everyone contributed, and they are ready to play. Alaba put in a great performance, as did Fran and Asensio. We have many upcoming matches, and we hope there will be no injuries. Ensuring everyone participates is essential for competition and consistent performance.”
The Real Madrid coach continued his speech: “What was said between me and the referee after the match? He gave me his explanation for the red card, and I was not entirely convinced, but there is nothing I can do.”
Regarding whether Rodrygo's injury would lead him to look at the academy, he said: “I follow the youth academy a lot because we are very close to them, and I talk a lot with Arbeloa. But we also have players in the first team to cover for Rüdiger's position. When needed, we always follow the youth academy. It is unfortunate that Rüdiger got injured during training.”
Alonso concluded his statements by saying: “We still have a lot to do. We are happy, but there is still room for improvement. We must continue building the team in a way that ensures consistent performance for the rest of the season. Our assessment today comes in the absence of many players.”
When is Real Madrid's next match?
Real Madrid will play against Olympique Marseille next Tuesday, September 16, in the first round of the group stage of the Champions League.
