Xabi Alonso: Real Madrid's Humbling Loss To PSG Should Not Define Their Future

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Real Madrid's recent 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Club World Cup semi-final was a tough pill to swallow. PSG's victory secured their place in the final against Chelsea. This defeat adds to Madrid's trophy drought, following their second-place finish in LaLiga and losses in both the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.

Xabi Alonso, who recently took over from Carlo Ancelotti, remains optimistic about Real Madrid's future. He emphasised that this setback should be seen as the conclusion of a challenging season rather than the beginning of a new one. "The feeling is not the best, but we'll have to try to learn from today," Alonso told DAZN. He acknowledged that PSG has been building their team for two years, while Madrid is just starting.

Alonso believes that despite only being with the team for three weeks, there are positives to take from this period. He stressed the importance of learning from this experience and taking a proper break before moving forward. "This is not the beginning of next year; this is just the end of this season," he stated.

PSG's recent form has been impressive, winning their last five knockout ties across all competitions with an aggregate score of 18-0. In their match against Madrid, they were already leading 3-0 within 24 minutes, thanks to goals from Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele. This marked the first time since November 2003 that Madrid conceded three goals so early in a match.

Since February, PSG has been performing at an exceptional level. They have won 48 matches across all competitions since the start of the 2024-25 season, surpassing their previous record of 47 wins set in 2015-16. When asked about PSG's high standards, Alonso admitted, "We will not be the last ones to face and lose to such a good team."

Alonso acknowledged that facing one of the world's best teams was a significant challenge for Real Madrid. He expressed his desire for Madrid to reach PSG's level eventually. "They play together as a team and it is tough to play against them," he said.

Despite this setback, Real Madrid remains determined to improve and compete at the highest level. The team's focus now shifts towards learning from these experiences and preparing for future challenges on the field.