Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso expressed his discontent with the Appeals Committee’s decision to uphold Dean Huijsen’s one-match suspension, despite the Referees’ Technical Committee admitting the mistake made by referee Jesús Gil Manzano in the match against Real Sociedad.

“On one hand, I’m not surprised, and obviously I would have liked the decision to be different. If a mistake has been acknowledged, there should be consequences, and unfortunately that won’t be the case,” the coach lamented in a press conference.

The suspension and looking ahead to Espanyol

Aware he won’t be able to count on the young defender, Xabi Alonso is already focusing on the upcoming clash with Espanyol, currently third in LaLiga. The coach warned of the challenge at the Santiago Bernabéu, highlighting the Catalan side’s strong form.

“Espanyol are in a good run, and we’re full of energy and eager to extend this positive stretch. We’re expecting a demanding game, but we’re at home and want to play good football to win,” said the Madrid coach.

While there could be some rotation, Kylian Mbappé looks certain to start after a brilliant beginning to the season with six goals in five games. “There will be moments to manage his workload, but Kylian is very important. He will rest at some point, but not now,” Alonso clarified.

Key returns and tactical adjustments

The squad list for the Espanyol game includes the return of Endrick, along with Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga, both now fit and ready for minutes. Alonso made it clear he sees the Frenchman as a midfielder: “I’d like to see him as a 6 or an 8. He’s very complete, and now it’s about integrating him into the collective quality both with and without the ball.”

On Fede Valverde, who expressed his desire not to play as a full-back again, Alonso was cautious: “The idea is for him to play in midfield. He’s fundamental for us there, although in football you can never guarantee anything.”

He also praised the work of Rodrygo and Vinícius on the left wing, calling them game-changers whether starting or coming off the bench.

Improving second halves, the pending challenge

The coach admitted the team has struggled to maintain its level in second halves, with recent games affected by the red cards shown to Huijsen and Dani Carvajal. “We’ve had good first halves, but the sendings-off put us in a different context. Once we manage to extend our phases of control, we’ll be closer to our best level,” he concluded.