Xabi Alonso admits one player was responsible for 'defining' Real Madrid's system vs Dortmund

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has provided a fascinating insight into the crucial role played by one particular member of his squad against Borussia Dortmund.

Real, of course, are fresh off booking their spot in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.

Late on Saturday night, Los Blancos made the trip to MetLife Stadium, for a quarter-final showdown with the aforementioned Dortmund.

And after a frenetic end to proceedings, which saw three goals and a red card in injury-time, it was the Spaniards who emerged triumphant, by three goals to two.

En route to their eventual victory, a whole host of Real Madrid’s stars played important roles, from youngster Gonzalo García to wing-back Fran García and midfield talent Arda Güler.

As alluded to above, though, it was another who was tasked with essentially deciding in-match what system Los Merengues would be making use of in different phases of play.

Speaking to the media on the back of the full-time whistle in New Jersey last night, Xabi Alonso admitted:

“Our system today was defined by Aurélien Tchouaméni. We let him analyze what’s needed and decide where he needs to be. In some sequences, he played high, and in others, he dropped low in a back-5. He did it really, really well.”