Xabi Alonso appeared in the press room at Mendizorroza and analysed Real Madrid's victory on LaLiga matchday 16: "It was a competitive match. I think we started very well, we took the lead and then we lost control of the ball a little bit. As a result, we didn't finish the first half too well. However, we started the second half well and had several chances to score the second goal.”

“We conceded on the only occasion that Valdepeñas made a mistake, because in all the others he was very accurate and played very well, and Carlos Vicente took full advantage off a great pass. But then, the team continued to stand up and fight, battling hard in a difficult stadium against a very intense opponent. We got that second goal that gave us the three points and we’re leaving here happy.”

Penalty on Vini Jr.
“I'm going to talk about the play, I'm not going to talk about the referee, but it did look like a clear penalty. Vini Jr. was going very fast, there was contact. I'm very surprised that they didn't even go to VAR on that play. That said, we're not surprised and we have to move on.”

González Fuertes, the referee who threatened Madrid in the Cup final, was in charge of VAR. Are you surprised that a referee with a previous history with Madrid was assigned to the match?
“You said it, and we'll leave it at that.”

Do you like this Madrid team more than the one from the last few games?
“I think everyone does. The Celta game wasn't a good one. We were lacking in a lot of areas. Today there were positive things and things that we need in every game. And other things that we need to improve on in order to win and keep winning games. We need continuity and consistency, this is LaLiga. If it serves as a learning experience, let's not forget it.”

Will this victory bring you some peace of mind?
“We're very focused on what we're doing. We're together, every day preparing for a match every three days. I give a lot of merit to the victory, because we came in with a lot of injuries, suspended players... As I said before, Valdepeñas made his debut and I congratulate him from here, not only for his debut but for the match he played. He competed and was very steady.

Making your debut with Real Madrid is always a special day. We're in this together. One match isn't enough. Before the break, we have the Copa on Wednesday and then the last home match against Sevilla. There's a long way to go and it was an important moment, but we have to build on the good things we did today."

Vini Jr.'s hug.
“We're all in this together. We're fighting through the good times and the not-so-good times. Today, with the conditions we had, the team competed very well. We started the match very well and then we were able to finish ahead and win the three points. Unity is essential, it's the only way that our day-to-day solidity will give us the improvement we want.”

It seems that the pattern of recent matches is repeating itself. Why is that?
“I don't agree. Every match has been different. For me, the Celta match, the City match and today's match are three different matches with different moments in the games. During the season, there have been matches in which we haven't been able to maintain that consistency, but not in the last three.”

You said you were surprised that it didn't go to VAR, but you're not surprised by what happened. What are you not surprised by?
“That it didn't go to VAR.”

But why is that normal?
“I wasn't surprised.”

Regaining solvency in attack
"This is a very competitive ground. Alavés are playing with a lot of pace and intensity. We've seen a lot of their games and it was difficult to win here, but with different moments in the game... Of course we want more consistency and it's very difficult to dominate the full 90 minutes in every game. Today we came here to win and the important thing was the three points. We're leaving with them and now we're thinking about the Copa."