Aurélien Tchouaméni trembles after learning about Xabi Alonso's intentions

Real Madrid experienced a true ordeal in the classic against Atlético de Madrid. The defeat left many doubts among the fans and also in the locker room itself, aware that they didn't measure up at the Metropolitano.

Xabi Alonso appeared after the match with a clear message: mistakes must be learned from, the team must get back up, and focus on the Champions League.

The Tolosa-born coach doesn't want the setback to define the dynamic of a squad that's expected to compete for everything.

During the press conference, Alonso was direct in analyzing the match and pointed out that not only was attitude lacking, but also rhythm and tactical precision.

At Valdebebas, the team has worked intensely to correct mistakes and recover the best version of a squad that has more than enough talent.

The white team's coach knows that there are footballers who must take a step forward and that the midfield needs a figure capable of providing control and balance.

The void left by Toni Kroos and Luka Modric

At the club, they are aware that the departures of Kroos and Modric have left a gap that's difficult to fill. Arda Güler has dropped back to offer creativity, while Tchouaméni and Valverde provide physicality and range.

However, a midfielder with authority is missing to guide the team in big matches. The conclusion at the training ground is unanimous: Madrid needs a different profile to complete the puzzle.

After the classic, the coaching staff carried out a thorough analysis in which everyone agreed on the same thing. Alonso insists that he has a great team, but that with one more reinforcement in midfield, everything would be easier.

That figure is a footballer who has always been on the radar and who, due to market circumstances, ended up leaving for England. In the locker room, they know that his arrival would have meant an immediate leap in quality.

Xabi Alonso's obsession

That player is Martín Zubimendi, currently at Arsenal. The Basque midfielder was very close to signing for Real Madrid, but when Alonso landed on the white bench, the deal with the English team was already final.

For the coach, he would have been a strategic reinforcement because of his ability to play out from the back and his tactical discipline, exactly what's most needed right now at Bernabéu.

Florentino Pérez is aware that the operation will be complex, but not impossible. The club needs to strengthen the midfield in the summer of 2026 and Zubimendi is identified as the ideal option.

Real Madrid doesn't want to make planning mistakes and is already considering the possibility of insisting on his signing.

Everything will depend on how the season develops, but what seems clear is that the Basque coach wants to have him at all costs.