Real Madrid are through to the next round of the Copa del Rey, but Xabi Alonso admitted his side made life harder than it needed to be after allowing Talavera to turn a comfortable-looking situation into a tense finish.
Speaking after the match at the Estadio El Prado, the coach summed up the night with a simple conclusion: qualification secured, lessons learned.
“Our goal was to qualify, so I head home satisfied,” Alonso said, while also making it clear that Madrid’s late wobble cannot become a habit.
“At 1–3… we then conceded and it was 2–3”
Alonso pointed to the emotional swing that often defines Copa nights, especially away from home against a team riding the energy of a full stadium.
“These things happen in the Copa,” he explained, noting that once Talavera pulled one back, the atmosphere lifted them and the final minutes became chaotic.
Madrid, he felt, did plenty right early on — particularly in the first half — but failing to put the tie completely out of reach left the door open.
“We controlled the game well and took the lead,” he said, adding that not making it “0–3” earlier “left the game open.”
Xabi Alonso: “We have to be more mature”
Even with the win, Xabi Alonso’s main takeaway was about game management.
Madrid, he admitted, still lack the stability required to dominate matches from start to finish.
“We’ve lacked a little bit of consistency… We can’t afford to get complacent,” he said, urging his players to “close games out” and “be more mature.”
That theme has been recurring in recent weeks: Madrid can look sharp and dangerous in bursts, but Alonso wants longer spells of control — with fewer invitations for opponents to grow into games.
Mbappé praised: “He was decisive with his two goals”
There was also no confusion about the difference-maker.
“Mbappé was decisive with his two goals,” Alonso stated, stressing that scoring is simply part of what Kylian brings to the team.
He also explained why Mbappé stayed on the pitch deep into the match: his contribution to the crucial third goal made him too important to remove during the tie’s most delicate phase.
Castilla debuts: Jiménez and Cestero earn special mention
Alonso used the night to reward academy form, and he was pleased with what he saw.
He praised David Jiménez for delivering a calm, complete performance, highlighting his comfort on the ball and his ability to connect play. On Cestero, Xabi Alonso underlined his potential and pointed out that the staff view him as someone who isn’t far away from making a bigger impact.
The coach also referenced other Castilla names who have been performing strongly, showing that the pathway from the academy remains active.
Endrick reaction: “Active, lively… changing the pace”
Alonso also sounded genuinely encouraged by Endrick’s performance, especially given his limited recent minutes.
“He was really active, lively,” Alonso said, crediting the forward for bringing energy, sharp bursts in tight spaces, and a good overall rhythm despite not playing regularly.
“One focus… Sevilla on Saturday”
Madrid’s attention now turns immediately to the league, and Alonso didn’t hide the priority.
“We need the three points,” he said, explaining that the goal is to build momentum and “close the year on a high” before the upcoming break, where the staff want to keep improving key areas — especially consistency.
Is Madrid too dependent on Mbappé?
Asked if the team’s effectiveness is overly reliant on Mbappé, Alonso kept it grounded: the numbers are what they are, but the responsibility must be shared.
He pointed out that Rodrygo has found the net recently, but Madrid still need “more guys” with the “clinical edge,” admitting the team “could certainly have scored more goals.”
Respect for Talavera: “Top-notch opposition”
Alonso finished by congratulating the hosts for making it a real contest.
He described the occasion as special for Talavera and their fans, praised the atmosphere, and credited them for competing “for pride” and pushing Madrid until the very end.