Xabi Alonso appeared in the press room at Real Madrid City and analysed the match against Manchester City, on matchday six of the Champions League group stage (Wednesday, 9:00 pm CET): "It's a big game. It's a great opportunity for us to accumulate more points in the Champions League. The Bernabeu will have its famous Champions League night atmosphere. The players already know what kind of game we're facing, and we hope to play well."
"We are mentally prepared to face everything we have to face. The team is united and convinced that we can win tomorrow. To do that, we have to play a good game, with a good tempo and high intensity."

Focus
"We've drawn our conclusions about the Celta game, and now we're only thinking about City. It's the Champions League, we're playing at the Bernabéu, and I'm sure the atmosphere will be special and different because of the energy that is created. That's what's in our heads right now."

Do you feel alone?
"This is a team, and we all stand together. When you're a Real Madrid coach, you have to be prepared to enjoy these situations calmly and responsibly. I'm looking forward to everything that's to come, which starts tomorrow. We started closing the book on the Celta game yesterday, and today it's just about City. In football, you can change perspective quickly, and we're at that point."

The fans
"Their process is parallel to ours. Looking ahead to tomorrow's game, they will be getting excited, as will we, who hope to play a good game and get rid of the feeling we had the day before."

Tuning out the noise
"My focus is on the team, on the pitch and the next game against City. That's what I can control. I'm very focused on that."

Changing the culture
"It's not about changing it, it's about adapting it. In the end, I knew the culture of Real Madrid very well, and that's why it's the biggest club in the world. You have to adapt to this culture and learn from it. Ultimately, there is a process. You need to have that interaction with the players and how you want to play. Some days will go well, while others won't. In the end, from any given game, we draw conclusions and take steps. We have to face this situation with good energy and positivity. It's the only way to turn the situation around and get a better feeling."

Facing Pep Guardiola
"We have to face this situation, and not only me; the players and the fans all over the world know that. We have faced City many times in recent years. We know it's a big challenge. I see it as an opportunity at the moment."

Salah situation
"These are decisions they've made at Liverpool. We've probably missed a lot of what's going on. It's not for me to judge."

Do you feel the support of the squad?
"Yes."

Would you consider coaching an English club?
"I've always had a very special bond with English clubs. Right now, this is where I want to be, and in the future, you never know what might happen."

The opposition
"It's Pep's team, who's been at the club for eight years now, with different phases and different teams. It has evolved. This year, they have brought in new players, and players who were important have left. We know what to expect; they will surely be a tough opponent."

Support
"I have already said that communication is constant; from trust, unity and affection. We are all in this together, and that's constant."

Vini's change in the Clasico
"I don't know what the question is about. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. If what I see on the pitch is the decision I have to make, I don't hesitate."

Are you disappointed with the players' involvement?
"We're all in this together, and we have to enjoy the good times and get through the not-so-good times. We have to have the conviction that the next game is an opportunity. As I said, tomorrow we have a very nice and exciting game. "Starting now in training, we need to have that fire in our eyes for the game, to have that energy so the fans at the Bernabéu like what they see and feel that emotional connection." It has to come from us. If that happens, we'll have a good chance of winning."