Dani Carvajal described Carlo Ancelotti's departure as a necessary change and said Xabi Alonso has introduced more discipline. Real Madrid have won their first three LaLiga matches and top the table going into the international break after failing to win a major trophy in 2024-25. Carvajal missed most of last season with a serious knee injury and is now competing with new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold for the right-back position. Ancelotti has become coach of Brazil after leaving as Real Madrid's most decorated manager with 15 trophies. Madrid signed four players this summer and renewed Carvajal's contract after his injury.
"I think it was a necessary change," Carvajal told Cadena SER on Monday, speaking while on international duty with Spain. "Carlo's cycle had come to its end. We all needed something new ... With Xabi it's going well, we've started well, taking on new ideas, and there's a long way to go to get to our best."
"Every coach has their way of working," Carvajal told COPE radio in another interview. "They're different generations. We had more freedom with 'Carletto', we could arrive a bit later, although Carlo would get angry. Maybe Xabi is more straight-laced, there's more discipline."
"It seems totally understandable to me," Carvajal said, when asked about facing competition for the right-back spot. "When you look at it: 'Carvajal, 32 years old, a serious injury...' In fact, I appreciate the fact that the very next day [after the injury, Madrid] renewed my contract. I won't be here forever."
Collection
[
|
...
]