With this draw, Real Madrid’s score rose to 33 points, occupying second place in the league standings, while Barcelona tops the standings with 34 points.
Following the match, Alonso told the Spanish newspaper “Marca”: “Any season goes through different stages. At the beginning, we were consistent in our performance away from home, but in the recent matches we have seen some unevenness in performance.”
He added: “The second half was much better than the first, and we were able to come back in the result. The team showed its will to compensate after falling behind 1-0, and we had three or four clear opportunities to score the second goal and achieve victory. We must continue with the high level that playing for Real Madrid requires, and the season is still long.”
He continued: “I will not direct any criticism at the players, as there was a clear response. We must continue with the spirit of unity, with a sufficient and necessary level of self-criticism, and a genuine desire to win away from home, especially in light of the busy match schedule. We have an opportunity on Wednesday to achieve that against Bilbao.”
He added: “We lacked some minutes to be more in control of the match, and that is what we are seeking. We must analyze the reasons why we were unable to control from the beginning.”
Alonso concluded his statement by saying: “It is an opportunity to win away from home at San Mamés, and there are still many fluctuations in the standings. This is a good time to achieve victory in Bilbao (the next round), and we need that and we will strive to achieve it with all our strength.”
