Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso appeared at a press conference following the 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, held at the Al Inma Stadium.

The coach said: "It was a very intense match. Fidi's early goal gave us the advantage and forced us to adjust our style a bit. We didn't struggle much in the first half. There were some ups and downs because it was a semifinal, but this team knows how to compete. It was a very passionate game. When the score was 1-2, we had to change our approach, regain our balance, and endure. This is the path to the title on Sunday, and here we are in the final."

The coach added in his statement: "I am happy. The goal was to reach the final against a very strong opponent. We have not forgotten the first round match of the league. The things we needed were: energy, tackles, and battles..."

About Kylian Mbappé: "Kylian will travel to Saudi Arabia tomorrow and join the team. We will see if he is ready to play. He is in much better condition, has trained, and is feeling good. His chances of playing in the final are the same as any other player's."

Regarding Simeone's actions towards Vinicius: "I try to respect the opposing team's players, and I usually don't speak to them. When I saw what he said to him, my frustration grew. This is not an example of sportsmanship. Not everything is justified; you have to respect your opponent. There are limits to everything on the field."

He continued about the substitutions of Asensio and Rüdiger: "Rüdiger was having a problem with his knee and couldn't finish the match, and Raúl was also struggling, so we needed new players in defense. Fran and Ferland came on well, and thanks to the double pivot, we were able to pass the ball more. We'll see how things go on Sunday."

Regarding the goal, Valverde said: "Fede played an excellent match. The goal, the assist, what he contributed to the team, his harmony with his teammates, and his enthusiasm in defense. He has a high competitive spirit. Scoring goals isn't the most important thing for him, but it gives him energy. It was a typical Valverde goal, with a wonderful shot."

He emphasized: "Will this performance be enough to win against Barcelona? The situation will be different, the match will be different."

And Courtois concluded regarding his many long passes: "In some cases, we lacked the calm needed to coordinate and create better opportunities, but we discussed that we shouldn't always start with short passes."