Real Madrid Confidencial McManaman and his most viral warning about Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid: The squad…
The former Real Madrid footballer trusts the squad that the club has built for this season
Steve McManaman recently spoke with the newspaper AS to discuss the current situation at Real Madrid, one of the clubs where he played.
One of the topics the former footballer addressed was Trent Alexander-Arnold's arrival at Real Madrid. "The real change for Trent will be the city, the culture, the language, and the lifestyle. But he loves it", he commented.
"In terms of soccer, the adaptation won't be huge, a lot of people speak English, that'll help him and he'll integrate quickly. In the end, he'll be judged by how he plays. Trent is a fantastic footballer, so I don't think he'll have any problems", McManaman added about Arnold.
He trusts Real Madrid's squad for this season
McManaman was asked about Real Madrid's squad for 25/26. The former footballer believes the white team will achieve better results in direct matches against Europe's top clubs.
"Not even Barça, which was brilliant, can play like that every time and expect to win the Champions League. Some stability is needed, I hope both find it, because it's spectacular to watch", he pointed out.
Indeed, McManaman believes that with Barça's bold play style, there's a lot of risk of being knocked out of the Champions League. "I think both teams are looking for the balance between being entertaining, scoring goals, and exciting, and at the same time keeping their goal unbeaten. You can't always win 2, 3, or 4 to nil", he explained.
"There will always be an opponent who counters it and beats them. That's what Xabi Alonso is there for, to find that balance. We've played three matches, against Osasuna, Oviedo, and Mallorca, and only one goal conceded", McManaman commented.
How does he assess the Champions League draw?
Steve McManaman was also asked about the Champions League draw. "The English clubs, and Madrid have a tough draw in some respects, but there are matches they should win. Juve at home, Monaco at home, even Olympiacos", he explained.
"The only uncomfortable one is the trip to Almaty. With all due respect, nobody wants to travel that far right before a league match. Overall, these are matches they should win", he added.
"On paper, City and Liverpool look very tough, of course, but that's what the new format is about. It's the same for most teams. In fact, I liked the format last year, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds again", McManaman concluded.
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