Xabi Alonso expressed his disappointment after Real Madrid suffered a 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in LaLiga, noting that the team was “angry” with the referee’s decisions, particularly the issuance of two red cards. He emphasized the need for a strong response in their upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City.
Williot Swedberg netted twice at the Bernabéu, while Madrid’s defense took a blow as centre-back Éder Militão exited early due to injury, and both Fran García and Álvaro Carreras were shown red cards.
This setback leaves Madrid trailing Barcelona by four points at the LaLiga summit, increasing the pressure on Alonso, who has seen his team secure just one win in their last five league outings.
“We’re frustrated; this wasn’t the performance or result we were aiming for,” Alonso stated during the post-match press conference. “Militão’s injury proved detrimental, making it difficult for us to recover.”
“We attempted to make adjustments, but it didn’t translate into the performance we desired. It’s essential for us to quickly move on. There’s a lot of the league still to be played, and we must respond in the Champions League match against City on Wednesday to erase this disappointment.”
Had Madrid managed to recover from three consecutive LaLiga losses with a win against Athletic Club earlier in the week, but the loss to Celta represents a significant setback.
“It didn’t go as we had hoped,” Alonso remarked. “Our plan was to maintain a good rhythm, but we fell short… we almost performed well with 10 players. Things didn’t start as we envisioned, and we need to present ourselves differently on Wednesday.”
Alonso voiced his displeasure with the officiating of referee Alejandro Quintero, specifically criticizing the quick red cards issued to García and Carreras, the latter received for dissent during stoppage time.
“I wasn’t satisfied with the referee’s performance,” Alonso said. “The second yellow for Álvaro [Carreras] was questionable. The referee acted hastily, and things got out of hand.”
Since taking the helm from Carlo Ancelotti last summer, Alonso has not blamed his players for the team’s underwhelming results.
“We all share the blame; we are in this together,” he declared. “It’s a collective responsibility—players and coaches alike must perform well. We lost three points, and it stings. We’re displeased with our position in the table, but there’s still plenty of time left to turn things around.”