Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has described the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti as a “necessary change” saying that there’s “more discipline” under successor Xabi Alonso.
Madrid have three wins out of three in LaLiga so far this season — topping the table going into the international break — after failing to win a major trophy in 2024-25, in Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge.
Carvajal missed most of last season with a serious knee injury, but is now back competing with new arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold for a place in the team.
“I think it was a necessary change,” Carvajal told Cadena SER on Monday, speaking while on international duty with Spain.
“Carlo’s cycle had come to its end. We all needed something new … With Xabi it’s going well, we’ve started well, taking on new ideas, and there’s a long way to go to get to our best.”
Ancelotti is now coach of the Brazil national team, after leaving Madrid as the manager with the most trophies in the club’s history, with 15 over two spells, including three Champions Leagues.
“Every coach has their way of working,” Carvajal told COPE radio in another interview. “They’re different generations. We had more freedom with ‘Carletto’, we could arrive a bit later, although Carlo would get angry. Maybe Xabi is more straight-laced, there’s more discipline.”
Madrid signed four players this summer: Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras and Franco Mastantuono.
Alexander-Arnold has started two of Madrid’s league games so far, with Carvajal coming into the team away at Oviedo.
“It seems totally understandable to me,” Carvajal said, when asked about facing competition for the right-back spot. “When you look at it: ‘Carvajal, 32 years old, a serious injury…’ In fact, I appreciate the fact that the very next day [after the injury, Madrid] renewed my contract. I won’t be here forever.”
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“[Trent] is a good lad,” Carvajal added. “It’s tough competition, we’ll both try to compete for a spot. It’s good for me… We’re two players with different qualities and that’s good, a nice problem for the club and the coach to have.”
The Spain squad to face Bulgaria and Turkey this week also includes Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who has been frequently linked with a future move from Manchester City to Madrid.
“I have a good friendship with him,” Carvajal said. “Let’s hope in the future he can be with us, he’s a great player. But for now I understand that he’s coming back from a long-term injury, and he wants to repay the confidence [City] have put in him.”
