OPINION: WHY XABI ALONSO IS MAKING A MISTAKE IGNORING STRIKER GONZALO GARCIA NOW
From Gonzalo Garcia’s clinical finishing to a Bellingham false nine, discover how Real Madrid will survive Mbappe’s muscle injury.
So, earlier this week, news dropped: Kylian Mbappe is out for three weeks. That’s a big blow for Real Madrid, especially with so many important games lined up in January.
Honestly, this whole situation didn’t have to happen. Mbappe skipped the Manchester City match, but then he played a full 90 minutes against a third-division team in the Copa del Rey just six days later. In between, he went the distance against Alaves. And then—another full match with Sevilla. It’s not hard to see how this could catch up with anyone.
You’d think this would be the perfect moment to have a Brazilian international striker available. But of course, Madrid just loaned him out to Lyon in Ligue 1. So, Xabi Alonso’s got some thinking to do. He’s got to figure out how to keep things rolling without his superstar.
So, what now? What should Real Madrid actually do without Mbappe?
First idea: play a real number nine—Gonzalo Garcia. In a recent chat with Diario AS, a former Real Madrid striker pointed out the obvious: the team misses having a classic centre-forward. Garcia could be that guy. He showed what he can do at the Club World Cup, bagging four goals and an assist. He connected really well with Vinicius, especially in games against Al Hilal and Juventus. That was the first time since Benzema left that Vinicius had a real target man to play off consistently.
People talk a lot about Endrick not getting minutes, but let’s be real—Garcia hasn’t had much of a shot either. He’s only played 365 minutes this season, which is barely over four games’ worth. Alonso should be thinking about giving him more time.
There’s also the option of going back to what worked in 23/24: the hybrid front three with Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo. For most of that season, Bellingham played as a number ten, with Vinicius and Rodrygo splitting striker duties in a diamond setup. Sometimes Bellingham shifted into a false nine role, with the Brazilians pushing wide and delivering balls into the box. The whole thing was super fluid, and it worked—both for the team and for the players themselves.
Sure, Alonso wasn’t in charge back then, and Mbappe wasn’t at the club. But you can bet Alonso knows how well that system performed. It’s got to be on his mind right now.
Then there’s the long shot: shifting Vinicius to a central position. Even though he’s been a left winger since Mbappe showed up, he’s drifted inside plenty of times. Under Ancelotti, he played more centrally, too, so maybe that’s an option over the next few weeks.
If Vinicius plays in the middle, Rodrygo can take his favoured spot on the left—even though he’s been doing well on the right lately. With Brahim Diaz away at AFCON, Franco Mastantuono could slot in on the right.
Or, you could flip it: Rodrygo has played as a central striker for club and country before. Move him to the middle, Vinicius on the left, and see what happens.
If you’re ranking options for Madrid right now, here’s how it shakes out: 1) Garcia up front, 2) Bellingham as a false nine with split strikers, 3) Vinicius as a false nine, 4) Rodrygo as a false nine.
THE ARBELOA STANCE: WHY REAL MADRID’S COACH DEMANDS A HISTORIC PRECEDENT FOR VINICIUS JR
Action needed: Discover why Alvaro Arbeloa is challenging UEFA to punish Gianluca Prestianni and support Vinicius Jr. in Madrid.
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa wants to see UEFA back up its anti-racism talk with real action after forward Vinicius Jr said he was racially abused during last week’s Champions League match in Lisbon.
The incident happened during the first leg of the knockout round against Benfica. Vinicius, who scored the game’s only goal, says Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni targeted him with racist abuse soon after he found the net.
Prestianni, a 20-year-old winger from Argentina, denies it. Still, UEFA hit him with a one-game provisional suspension, so he’ll miss the return leg in Madrid on Wednesday.
“This is a big chance to actually move the fight against racism forward,” Arbeloa told reporters on Tuesday. “UEFA’s always talked a good game about this issue, but now they can show they mean it. I hope they don’t just stick to slogans and banners this time.”
Vinicius, 25, picked up a yellow card for celebrating his goal in front of Benfica’s fans. Benfica manager Jose Mourinho later accused him of being disrespectful and stirring up the crowd.
But Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pushed back. He said Vinicius’s celebration was nothing out of the ordinary and that it never justifies racist abuse.
“Mourinho’s going to defend his club and his player; that’s normal,” Courtois said. “What bothers me is blaming Vini’s celebration. He didn’t do anything wrong. Opponents celebrate in front of us all the time, especially when they score. It happens, and we move on. There’s no excuse for racism, period.”
Arbeloa called Vinicius a “fighter” and said he’s sure the Brazilian will prove himself on the pitch at the Bernabeu.
“Vini Junior has always had guts and personality,” Arbeloa said. “Honestly, I don’t know how anyone else would handle what he’s faced. He’s always stood tall, and that’s just how he is. He’ll show up tomorrow ready to fight, ready to show he’s one of the world’s best.”
The first match was stopped for ten minutes after Vinicius told the referee what happened, and Real Madrid’s players walked off the field for a bit. There were also reports of racist gestures from fans in the stands at Benfica’s stadium. UEFA says Prestianni could face more punishment once their ethics inspector finishes a full investigation.
On the Benfica side, club president Rui Costa stood by Prestianni and confirmed they’re appealing the suspension.
“I wasn’t on the pitch to hear what was said, but you can imagine how heated things get,” Costa told reporters at Lisbon airport. “We trust our player. He’s being labelled a racist, and I can promise you he’s nothing of the sort. That's why we have faith in him.”
Mourinho, who’s been criticised for his comments, won’t speak at the usual pre-match press conference.
Costa added, “We’ve appealed because nothing’s been proven, so there’s no real reason Prestianni should miss this game.”
THE PAMPLONA CURSE: OSASUNA SECURES FIRST HOME WIN OVER REAL MADRID SINCE JANUARY 2011
Real Madrid's lead is at risk! Discover how Osasuna stunned the leaders 2-1 and analyse Arbeloa's honest post-match reaction.
Álvaro Arbeloa didn’t hide his frustration after Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Osasuna on Saturday. The defeat wasn’t just a bump; it let points slip away in the LaLiga title race. “We can play much better,” he admitted.
Osasuna struck first. Ante Budimir scored from the penalty spot before halftime at El Sadar. Madrid looked flat for most of the match, but Vinícius Júnior pulled them level in the 73rd minute with his fifth goal in just four games. Even then, the comeback didn’t last. In the very last minute, Raúl García pulled off a brilliant solo goal, slicing through defenders and beating Thibaut Courtois. The flag went up for offside, but after a VAR check, the goal stood. That gave Osasuna their first home win over Madrid in 15 years.
Arbeloa summed it up simply: “It wasn’t a good game for us.” He didn’t make excuses, but he did mention the tough schedule. “It’s not easy playing midweek and then again on Sunday, but that’s what’s expected here. This is Real Madrid. We knew coming here wouldn’t be easy.”
Madrid had arrived in Pamplona on a hot streak of four straight wins against Rayo Vallecano, Valencia, Real Sociedad, and Benfica. Even so, Arbeloa saw clear problems: “Nobody wants to lose, obviously. But it’s a long season; there’s still a lot to play. In the first half, we controlled things, but we played too slowly. We have to move the ball quicker.”
He pointed out that Madrid’s attack got too predictable. “We’re doing a lot down the left, but we need to use the other side too. If we don’t, we’re too easy to defend.”
Looking back at their midweek win over Benfica, Arbeloa knew they fell short this time. “We did well last Tuesday, but today it wasn’t so easy. We’ve got a lot to improve. When we’re not at 100%, any team can beat us. We know that.”
Arbeloa also addressed questions about Kylian Mbappé, who’s been dealing with a knee issue. “He rested last week and didn’t play against La Real,” Arbeloa said. “When we think he’s not ready, we won’t risk him. That’s a decision we make together with the doctors and Kylian himself. But he didn’t play last week.”
For Osasuna, the win meant everything. Raúl García, the match-winner, was still buzzing after the final whistle. “It’s an incredible feeling,” he told DAZN. “We hadn’t beaten Madrid here for 15 years. The team played great. That goal – it’s a move I use a lot. I’ve scored a few like that in the second division.”
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