'Carlo Ancelotti gave us more freedom' - Xabi Alonso labelled 'more direct' than Real Madrid predecessor as Dani Carvajal admits they 'needed a change' in coach

The Real Madrid captain has revealed the differences between former head coach Ancelotti and current manager Alonso, with the full-back admitting that the players had more leeway under the Italian, while the ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss is more demanding discipline-wise. 

Carvajal is the only surviving member from Madrid's old guard, and among the select few players to have played all six seasons that Ancelotti was in charge of the club. He also shared the dressing room with his current gaffer in the 2013-14 season. Alonso, however, is believed to be someone who puts discipline at the forefront, a stark difference from the days of Ancelotti, who allowed more freedom to his players, both on the pitch and off it.

Speaking to COPE, Carvajal said: "Ancelotti has been a legend at Madrid, and he will always be one in its history, but I think we needed a change. I think the manager saw it too. In the end, we'd already been with him for many years. Often, you need that change to change everyone's mindset; people who perhaps weren't so connected to it come online, to wake everyone up a bit, and I think it's been good for everyone.

"Each coach has his own methodology, as you say, they're different generations. It's true that, for example, with Carletto, we had much more freedom in that sense of, well, you came out a little later, although he got angry with us. Xabi is a little more upfront, with more discipline, but well, within each one, his own ideas. Football was invented many years ago, so each one takes the concepts that each one believes are best."

Alonso's managerial tenure has got off to a good start at the Santiago Bernabeu. After disappointment at the Club World Cup in July, Los Blancos head into the international break as La Liga table-toppers, winning three games out of three. They will take on Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena on September 13, before locking horns with Marseille in the first league phase game of the Champions League three days later.