On the eve of their Champions League group stage opener, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso focused on French star Kylian Mbappé in a press conference.

Alonso not only praised Mbappé's form and energy on the field, but also emphasized the striker's leadership in the locker room and his calm attitude towards the Champions League.

At the pre-match press conference, Alonso revealed that he had been looking forward to building a relationship with Mbappé since the Club World Cup, and it turned out that the player not only possessed top-notch talent but also a keen curiosity about the game. "He loves to learn and understand the game," Alonso said.

"When he does that, his individual qualities are maximized. We need him, but we also need the team to play well together, with and without the ball, to give him and players like Vinicius and Rodrygo the chance to change the game."

When it comes to leadership, Alonso made no secret of his admiration for Mbappé: "He is undoubtedly one of the leaders of the team. With his character, experience and influence on others, he can become a reference for his teammates. A strong and stable team needs such core figures, and Kylian is one of them."

It is widely believed that Mbappé joined Real Madrid in order to win the Champions League trophy as soon as possible. However, Alonso stressed that the French striker did not show any impatience: "In my opinion, he is not anxious."

"We all understand that this is a project that is still in its early stages. Winning the Champions League has always been one of the goals of being at Real Madrid, but it's not something that happens overnight. We hope it arrives as soon as possible and believe we are on the right path."