Xabi Alonso makes a surprising move regarding Vinicius

Coach Xabi Alonso gave candid remarks about Vinicius's performance in Real Madrid's victory over Real Betis.

In the absence of Kylian Mbappe due to injury, Real Madrid still demonstrated their class by securing a convincing 5-1 win against Real Betis in the 19th round of La Liga. Gonzalo Garcia, the 21-year-old, scored a hat-trick, complemented by goals from Raul Asencio and Fran Garcia, helping Los Blancos maintain a four-point lead over Barcelona.

It was clear that Coach Xabi Alonso was very pleased with his players' performance. In the post-match press conference, the Spanish tactician said: "This was an important and well-deserved victory to start the new year at home. It is crucial to begin like this, calmly and with a positive feeling ahead of the Super Cup. I highly value this win.

Barcelona won yesterday, and we must keep winning. This was the last match of the first half of the season, and we now have 45 points. That equates to 90 points over the La Liga season. On average, we need to win many more games moving forward. The pace ahead will be intense. From tomorrow, our focus is solely on the Super Cup."

In this victory, Vinicius did not make a significant impact during his 77 minutes on the pitch. The Brazilian forward neither scored nor assisted and only managed one shot. Nonetheless, Alonso defended the 2000-born star, emphasizing he remains a "threat" to the visiting team.

When asked about the negative treatment Vinicius received from some fans, Alonso responded: “I believe Vini contributed a lot. He started the game well, causing Ortiz to receive a card, forcing them to change their right-back. Vini was very dangerous, especially in the first half. He consistently kept playing and contributing to the team. Personally, I liked Vini's performance. He will be a key player for us as we enter the Super Cup against Atletico.”

While Vinicius is going through a 15-match goal drought since early October, Garcia scored his first goals of the season, which delighted Alonso greatly.

“Gonzalo had a dream game,” the former Liverpool midfielder said. “Playing at Bernabeu in his first season with the first team and scoring a hat-trick. I’m truly happy for him, given the effort he puts in every day, whether he plays or not. He always shows a very impressive attitude. He is a perfect example of a player developed through Real Madrid’s academy.”

Next, Alonso’s team will face Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, with the winner meeting either Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao in the final a few days later. Afterwards, Los Blancos will return to La Liga with a home match against Levante.