Marca: Alaba can control the rhythm of the game, playing in the midfield may be his chance to perform

According to Marca, in the closed friendly match between Valdebebas training base and Leganes, Xavi Alonso tried to let Alaba be the midfielder. This is a role Alaba has never played in Real Madrid, but he is no stranger to it.

Xavi Alonso knows Alaba's ability and the two worked together while at Bayern. At the time, Guardiola sought the fluency of the game, and Alaba sometimes became a multifunctional player who was both defensive and involved in offensive organization. Alaba's ability to move forward is one of his strengths, which may become a big weapon for Xavi Alonso during his coaching as Real Madrid.

While playing for Bayern, Alaba could serve both as midfielder and as left back, the latter being his more natural position. But at Real Madrid, neither of these positions is his main position, because he directly filled the vacancy of central defender left by Ramos after leaving the team, and this role is crucial for Real Madrid to win the 14th Champions League.

However, now the situation is different. Last season, defense became Real Madrid's weakness, and Ancelotti was troubled by the player's injury problems. Raul Asensio's rise has brought hope to the team but has failed to turn the situation around. In this transfer window, the club introduced Wyson, who took a place in the back line. There is also the return of Militon, which makes Alaba the most replaceable candidate on the backline.

This may not be ideal for Alaba. He has become a marginal figure due to injury in the past two seasons, and a cruciate ligament tear left him missing for more than a year. So, for him, this opportunity is not just a simple tactical adjustment, but an opportunity to write a happy ending that matches his position, and the midfield position may provide him with a favorable environment to show his best performance.

Alaba's future in Real Madrid may need to return to his past, and in the midfield position, he can show his best side. There, everything might come true: he controls the rhythm of the game, reminding people that football is first and foremost a game of wisdom. Xavi Alonso's experiment may be the key to starting another brilliant season for the heavyweight.