Real Madrid Confidencial Xabi Alonso wants to match the best Real Madrid of the decade, this is the plan
The goal is to give all the players minutes so they arrive fresh for the decisive stage of the season
It seems that Xabi Alonso has an ambitious strategy in mind for the 2025/26 season. The native of Tolosa has based his approach on the successful rotation model used by Zinedine Zidane during the 2016/17 campaign, when the club won LaLiga and the Champions League.
According to "Grada 3", Xabi Alonso plans to build a competitive "B team" through a massive rotation of players. The goal is to keep the entire squad involved and in optimal physical condition for a demanding schedule. This way, Real Madrid will reach the most important stretch of the season in the best possible shape.
Xabi Alonso's plan for Real Madrid
The decision came at a key moment, after Real Madrid's recent 3-0 win over Real Oviedo, where Alonso highlighted the importance of giving every footballer minutes on the field. The arrival of young stars like Franco Mastantuono, combined with the squad's depth, supports this philosophy.
The coach, who led Bayer Leverkusen to an undefeated Bundesliga title in 2023/24 with a similar approach, is looking to replicate that success at Santiago Bernabéu. "Every player must feel important", Xabi Alonso said in one of his recent press conferences when asked about the rotations.
Avoiding injuries at all costs
This strategy also responds to the need to manage injuries. Xabi Alonso wants to avoid at all costs absences like those of Éder Militao or David Alaba. With the start of the new Champions League format, which promises an exhausting schedule, rotation will be key.
Xabi Alonso's approach includes tactical innovations, such as using drones to record training sessions and analyze plays. In addition, as we've already mentioned, the coach will implement what he saw firsthand with Zidane. His goal is to imitate that "B Unit" in which, according to many, the second team achieved better results than the first on some occasions.
Although some fans fear that rotation could destabilize the rhythm, the board trusts that this vision will modernize Real Madrid. With the team already up and running and the Champions League already on the horizon, Xabi Alonso's experiment promises to redefine the white era in the 25/26 season.
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