This is how Xabi Alonso plays, or why Real Madrid is already rubbing its hands together... despite the Liga title being at stake.

This Friday, a change of pace on the Real Madrid bench was precipitated. Despite the fact that Real Madrid are playing for La Liga in a Clásico where they can thrash Barcelona and demonstrate their title bid, Xabi Alonso's departure from Bayer Leverkusen was confirmed . Or, to put it another way, the leading candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti announced his departure from Germany. It's a no-brainer , although the timing may not have been ideal.

Leverkusen will play Borussia Dortmund this Sunday and, with two games left in the Bundesliga, it will be their last game of the season at the BayArena . That's why Xabi Alonso's announcement has come, as it will be the last time he plays in front of his home fans as Bayer manager , who will surely pay him the tribute he deserves. That team that was relegation fodder burst into history by winning matches .

And that goodbye, logically, is the start of a new sporting adventure, with Real Madrid as the target . It's an open secret that Ancelotti's time at Real Madrid is numbered and that Xabi is the chosen one for the new project, but it's no less true that this Sunday is a crucial match . If Real Madrid beat Barça at Montjuic, they'll enter the fight for La Liga and shift the pressure onto Barcelona. But the turning of the page at the Bernabéu is already evident.

With the season still to come and the winner of La Liga yet to be seen, the truth is that Real Madrid fans are rubbing their hands with enthusiasm for Xabi Alonso . Not only for the indelible mark he left as a Real Madrid player, but also for what he has demonstrated in the dugout. First, he took Real Sociedad's reserve team to the Second Division and, in his first test of prowess, he turned a team that was fighting relegation into an indestructible machine ... that only lost one game all season.

So the question many fans are asking is obvious: how do Xabi Alonso's teams play? The first premise of his Bayer Leverkusen, a prominent team of playmakers, is that they play with a clear 3-2-2-3 formation . They start with three powerful centre-backs, two playmakers and two attacking midfielders, who play in staggered positions , as well as three attacking players. But there's a trick to it, as the two attacking flanks are usually occupied by two long full-backs with an attacking heart.

This allows the backbone to be a 3-2-2-1, with two physically powerful players who occupy the entire flank. Grimaldo on the left and Frimpong on the right do not start from the defensive position and instead balance the team , always one line ahead of where the ball is . This is the way to create superiority, where speed in unexpected arrivals is essential to catch opponents off guard behind them.

Xabi Alonso likes high pressing, with the lines close together and the attacking players working hard to recover the ball . It will be one of his key areas of expertise at Madrid, where effort has not been the specialty of players like Vinícius, Mbappé, or Rodrygo this season. The Tolosa native is very meticulous in this work, getting directly involved in training, correcting positions, and stopping them as often as necessary until the player does what he asks.

As for the ball out, Alonso likes to play the ball and not let it burn him . He usually starts attacks with the central midfielder, in this case Xhaka , to find the best position for Wirtz so he can filter it towards the attack . What's more, you can see the work behind it because every time the talented German player receives the ball , both Boniface and the two wings look to run behind the defense so that the attacking midfielder can find a pass that gives his teammates an advantage.

Another key is not to give the ball away, even when players are under pressure . Looking for more passes is always key. In fact, in his three seasons at Leverkusen, they have the honor of scoring the most goals after six or more players have combined in a single play . The ball should move, but it's the players who must find solutions beyond receiving the ball statically and at their feet.

Finally, defensive retreat is key, but it has an interesting element . If the opponent overcomes the high press or finds a counterattack, they don't look to force their eleven players back into their positions. With a highly developed defensive line, combined with the central midfielders and the wings, the spaces are reduced in a coordinated movement that acts as a firewall . There are no retreats; gaps are minimized to minimize the damage.

That's why, although Xabi Alonso 's arrival at Madrid is not yet official , it's undeniable that Real Madrid are rubbing their hands with pride at the prospect of a coach who could bring a lot of joy to the Madrid team. His style of play has been successfully tested at Leverkusen, and it's time to bring it to Madrid, with players like Tah, Grimaldo, and Wirtz already making themselves wanted . And all this, despite the fact that Real Madrid is playing for La Liga this Sunday.