The Spanish newspaper “AS” mentioned that Alonso told the media from the mixed zone at Anfield, before holding the press conference, where he presented a calm analysis of the loss, and explained that his players gave a good competitive performance, despite some mistakes that gave the opponent the advantage in crucial moments.
Alonso said in his statements to the “Movistar” network: “It was an even match, especially in the second half during 15 minutes in which we made some mistakes and gave them opportunities from free kicks, corners and direct shots, which put a lot of pressure on us, and in the end the goal came. It was a strong and intense match, yet our level gradually improved. Small details made the difference, and those unnecessary mistakes made us lose the initiative.”
The Spanish coach explained his vision of his team’s performance in midfield, saying: “We had difficulty reaching the final line. The opponent was retreating and it was difficult to create danger inside the area. It was a match that needed patience, but in the end the result fell in their favor.”
Regarding his decision to involve Eduardo Camavinga in a different center, Alonso said: “I wanted to add a fourth player in the middle. We thought Arda could enter from the outside to the depth to open spaces for Valverde, then we changed the plan because Arda has a good passing ability from the inside. These are decisions taken during the match.”
When asked about his feeling about the loss, he replied: “It was a close match decided by details. At one point the match became in their favor… and there are many ways to lose, but what happened today is different from Wanda (the defeat against Atletico). The team gave everything they had, and the spirit was positive. We lack some things that we have to improve for the future, because such matches will be repeated. Today we faced the most difficult match in the group stage of the Champions League.”
He only said about the yellow card he received: “It is the referee’s decisions… nothing more.”
During the press conference that followed the match, Alonso continued his analysis, saying: “We did not feel that Liverpool was physically stronger. The match was fast and full of high rhythm. Perhaps we lacked some danger in the final third. The second half was decided by details, and we started making some mistakes. Thibaut Courtois saved us in more than one situation, but their goal gave them the advantage, and then we had difficulty coming back. I don’t blame the players, we can compensate for the points in the upcoming rounds.”
About Trent Alexander-Arnold, he said: “It was not an easy match. It was a strong and usual confrontation at Anfield between two big teams. Arnold tried to show his abilities and danger from the right side.”
Regarding the formation with which he started the match, which was similar to the one that played the Clasico, Alonso explained: “These are decisions we make according to the situation. The players who participated today are having a good period. We are in November and we have a difficult stage ahead. The formation was appropriate for this meeting, but there are things that need to be improved.”
The coach touched on the fluctuation of the team’s level, saying: “I don’t think we are experiencing periods of rise and fall. The Metropolitano match was not good, but we must maintain consistency in performance and the required level. We do not want to live on waves of brilliance and then retreat, because that creates instability. Today we lost a close and strong match, and we must learn from it.”
When asked about the reasons that prevented his team from controlling the course of the game in the last minutes, he replied: “We were not able to get past the last defensive line to create clear opportunities inside the area. Vidi felt uncomfortable, so we replaced him. With Trent and Rodrygo, we tried to add more offensive threat. We tried different formations, but we lacked some details that decided things in their favor.”
Regarding Courtois saving the team from a bigger loss, he replied: “What worries me is that we must learn how to face the pressure in those moments. We have to hold on and not give them free kicks or corners. It was a very intense match.”
As for the performance of the midfield in building attacks, he said: “We tried to bring the players closer to look for passes between the lines. Gravenberch was closely monitoring Bellingham. In the first half, we gradually improved, but inside the area we lacked more danger.”
Alonso commented on the situation of the right wing, saying: “We have players who are able to play in more than one center such as Camavinga, Guler, and Valverde. It depends on the nature of the match and the player’s condition. We have multiple options and we can change our style so that we do not always rely on an explicit winger, and this is an advantage that we must evaluate in each match.”
Alonso concluded his speech by analyzing the point that was a source of concern for the team, saying: “The set pieces at the beginning of the second half were a problem. We gave them many opportunities from this side. It could have been avoided. They put a lot of pressure on us and we retreated more than necessary, and I wanted us to put pressure on them forward, but we retreated because of the many mistakes.”
