Xabi Alonso explains Vinicius Junior’s substitution as Real Madrid fell to Barcelona in the Super Cup final.
Xabi Alonso has explained why he took off Vinicius Junior during Real Madrid’s Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona on Sunday.
Vinicius’s goal ended a 16-game drought, but Real Madrid still lost 3–2 as Barcelona retained the trophy. Alonso said the decision to substitute him was more about caution and praised the forward’s impact on the game.
Xabi Alonso on Vinicius Jr. and Real Madrid’s response to defeat
Speaking after the game, Xabi Alonso confirmed that Vinicius Jr. had asked to come off in the closing stages.
Alonso also urged his team to move past the defeat quickly and refocus on the season ahead, while also dismissing the Supercopa as the least of their priorities.
“Vinicius was very good until the final stages. He asked to come off because of fatigue. There was a lot of humidity. He was a constant threat, the goal was spectacular and he caused a lot of problems down his side.
“We have to move on as soon as possible. It’s the least important of the competitions we play. We have to look forward, try to get players back from injury, get our morale back and keep going.”
Real Madrid were without Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger, while Kylian Mbappe only featured as a late substitute after recovering from a knee injury. Alonso said the absence of key players affected the team’s balance and stability during the match.
Real Madrid’s continued struggles against Barcelona
The defeat marked Real Madrid’s third consecutive loss to Barcelona in a final. Xabi Alonso admitted that while losing to their biggest rivals is always difficult, the focus must remain on the upcoming fixtures.
“It’s never nice to lose a final against a rival. We had our moments, but small details made the difference.”
Thibaut Courtois also echoed his manager’s frustration, saying Madrid “deserved to win” in the second half but were undone by missed chances.
The goalkeeper added that the team will use the setback as motivation to respond in domestic and European competitions.
With La Liga and Champions League fixtures on the horizon, Alonso said he expects a strong reaction from his players as Madrid look to recover from their latest setback and push for major titles later in the season.
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