Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso appeared in a press conference to discuss tomorrow's match against Kairat Almaty in the second round of the Champions League group stage.

The coach said: "Tomorrow is a Champions League match. It doesn't matter who the opponent is or where we start; we want to win. A good start is important; we have already achieved that at home with a victory, and we want to continue the journey away to collect points."

He added: "Whether in victory or defeat, the feeling should last 24 hours, for better or worse, and then comes the analysis. It’s not just about the situation, but also the absence of rhythm and tactical aspects. I don't explain everything by the situation; that’s an oversimplification. These are matters that need improvement in the game so that we can compete better. We conducted an analysis, and we are already in Champions League mode here in Almaty."

He continued: "Every match tells me a lot. I love analyzing ourselves to see how we prepared and how things went to make decisions for the future. With the players we have, we can choose other options. We have many options in midfield, and even on the wings. Our performance in the last match was not as we expected, but for what’s coming, we have many options."

Regarding the locker room: "I have not seen any lack of cohesion; rather, I have seen this cohesion present. And as Valverde said, it is essential to build a football idea and a collective spirit. We are still taking steps forward. Perhaps to move forward two steps, we need to take a step back. We are still defining how we want to be, and we will work on improving that."

On traveling to Kazakhstan: "We have to adapt. We have slightly changed the usual roadmap, but in football, the smartest team is the one that knows how to adapt best. It’s just an ordinary match, and this is not a barrier or an excuse. After starting the tournament with a victory, we want to continue that."

About the opponent tomorrow: "It’s their first participation in the tournament, a good team that is performing well and will compete with us. We watched their match against Celtic and Sporting Lisbon. They have a strong core and diverse attacking options. It’s a direct team that plays well and is very clear about what they do. We need to compete strongly."

Regarding what was lacking in the derby: "There are football reasons; we were not at our best. It was not just behavior, but part of a learning process. We have been in this state for 58 days, right? And here we are. It’s painful, painful, but we have returned to the Champions League level."

About the lineup tomorrow and the possibility of rotation: "We will start with eleven players, and they are eleven players from Real Madrid; it will be a very competitive team against a team participating for the first time in the Champions League, and they will demand a high-level performance from us."

He concluded about the keys to playing tomorrow: "Good play means good pressing, defending, and attacking. With our current players and our style of play, the match will be competitive and exciting because the opponent is physically and tactically well-prepared. They are well-organized, and we have to be well-prepared for the match from the start."