Xabi Alonso slammed for misusing Vini Jr and Mbappe: It didn’t make sense!

Robin Bairner

5 Nov 2025 13:44 GMT
4 min read

Kylian Mbappe, Vini Jr, Real Madrid, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso faces criticism for the manner of his side’s performance in their 1-0 loss against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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A goal from Dominik Szloboszlai was enough to give the Reds victory at Anfield in a match it was notable Los Blancos carried little threat in, despite boasting a star-studded forward line containing Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

Alonso faces criticism of his handling of Vini Jr since taking charge, and the tactics that he employed for the Brazil international against Liverpool left former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale and France’s record scorer Thierry Henry stunned.

Compared

Kylian Mbappé

F (C)

Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé

F (C)

Real Madrid

VS

Vinicius Junior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

Vinicius Junior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

€119.8M	ETV	€91.9M
€107.9M - €131.8M	ETV Range	€82.7M - €101M
26 years old (20 Dec, 1998)	Age	25 years old (12 Jul, 2000)
France	Nationality	Brazil

The two attackers were constantly checking back, failing to exploit their talent in being direct.

Speaking to Paramount+, Henry commented: “Me and Gareth spoke during the game about the attack of Real Madrid. One example we saw that when Vinicius had the ball 1v1, he recycled it to the left-back, then received it back and then it was 1v3. The attacking game didn’t make sense from the forwards.”

Bale, who netted twice against Liverpool in the Champions League final of 2018, was of the same opinion.

He said: “Vinicius and Mbappe are clearly faster than anyone on the pitch, why not just knock it and try test the defender? Maybe because there is nobody in the box. Only they can answer those questions.”

© IMAGO - Vini Jr has been cutting a frustrated figure for Real Madrid lately

Tension continues to build between Alonso and Vini Jr

This frustrating display will not aid Alonso’s standing in the eyes of Vini Jr, who is reportedly irritated by the coach consistently substituting him.

Tension already appears to be at breaking point behind the scenes at the Bernabeu between the two men, with the coach set to win this battle of wills against a player who is out of contract in 18 months.

While Vini publicly apologised for his outburst at the end of El Clasico, this moment of frustration may just have cost him any shot at a contract extension, with the latest reports indicating that Real Madrid have taken the decision not to offer him a new deal.

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