Gareth Bale Supports Xabi Alonso To Make Big Changes At Real Madrid

JAKARTA - Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has supported new head coach Xabi Alonso to make big changes at the club.

After leaving Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso is now returning to Real Madrid with the task of presenting a trophy after being without a trophy under Carlo Ancelotti's 2024/2025 season.

Speaking to ESPN, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Bale - who won five Champions League titles and three La Liga titles with Real Madrid - was asked if he could make stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior work together in a coherent team.

"I think if you saw what he was doing at Leverkusen, yes, and now he could say he had a better player to work with. I imagine a bigger transfer fund."

"So, I think Xabi has received respect from the players and the players will play for him."

"I expect big changes. I hope they play according to their wishes. Otherwise, I don't think Xabi is afraid to let go of anyone," Bale said.

Real Madrid have brought in two important players in the transfer market this summer, namely defender Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth.

However, both of them were not included in the squad in the final trip of the 2024/2025 season. Real Madrid ended the 2025 Club World Cup with a embarrassing 0-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

The problem is, the results at the 2025 Club World Cup further strengthen Mbappe's health loss. After a long-awaited transfer from PSG to Real Madrid a year ago, the French club won their first Champions League title and has now reached the 2025 Club World Cup final without him.

Real Madrid have closed the season empty-handed despite Mbappe being La Liga's top scorer with 31 goals.

Even so, Bale believes the trophy for Real Madrid will come and it will be Xabi Alonso's job.

"It's difficult because he's still scoring goals. He's still doing good things, it's just that they haven't won anything this season."

"I think at Real Madrid, you are expected to win everything. So, it's difficult because he's still performing brilliantly on the pitch, but maybe he doesn't have those moments."

"So, I think it's now Xabi's turn to find a combination of pressing and trying to bring out her best potential, and save her energy for when needed."

"So, yes, it will be difficult. I don't want to criticize him and say he's had a bad season because of his goals and everything."

"But, yes, given the name, what do you expect from him, of course everyone will always expect more," Bale said.

Alonso's confidence in Alonso's cold hands could not be separated from Bale's journey at Real Madrid. As is known, the former Wales National Team player played with Alonso for a season at Los Blancos.

His journey at that time ended in winning the Champions League in the 2013/2014. Therefore, Bale hopes that Alonso can now achieve similar success as a coach.

"I've had a very good season with him. You can see he's going to be a manager and you can see how excited he is at football."

"He's always on the training ground. He passes, warms up before everyone comes out, and he's very thorough in everything and very demanding."

"So, yes, hopefully he can do a great job now at Real Madrid," he said.