Xabi Alonso's dig at Huijsen after his red card: he needs to improve...

Xabi Alonso didn't hold his tongue after Real Madrid's victory at Anoeta. The white team's coach spoke clearly about Dean Huijsen, who was sent off in the 32nd minute for a foul on Mikel Oyarzabal.

"He needs to improve his decision-making at times. Oyarzabal didn't have control of the ball," Alonso stated at the press conference. This warning reflects the level of demand with which the coach approaches every detail of the game.

The play that sparked the controversy

The match took a turn very early. A long ball left Oyarzabal running toward Courtois's goal. Huijsen, who was poorly positioned, tried to stop Real's captain with a slight push on the shoulder. The forward fell and Gil Manzano didn't hesitate: straight red card.

Madrid's protests were immediate. The players argued that Éder Militao was in line and had a chance to get there. For them, the action was more worthy of a yellow card than a sending off. However, VAR didn't intervene and the referee kept his decision.

On SER, Iturralde González was blunt: "On the field, I can accept that it looks like a red card, but VAR should call him. Militao had a good chance to get there. With the overhead camera, the play looks completely different."

The consequences for Huijsen

Beyond the victory, the sending off will have immediate effects. The Dutch center-back will miss two league matches: first against Espanyol at Santiago Bernabéu (and then in the visit to Levante). He'll return in the classic against Atlético de Madrid, a clash marked in red on the calendar.

Real Madrid managed to survive with ten thanks to collective effort. Mbappé produced a great individual play and Güler scored the decisive goal to seal the win in San Sebastián. But the feeling of the night was tainted by Huijsen's red card, who now knows what Xabi Alonso demands from him: less nerves and more composure in key moments.

In the end, the coach's message was clear. The trust in Huijsen is there, but so is the room for improvement. In Real Madrid, where every detail matters, there's no room for mistakes that could cost matches.