David Alaba News: Had to give up a lot of comfort to join Real Madrid, says defender

Now that he has adjusted into life in the Spanish capital, defender David Alaba has been reflecting on his early days as a Real Madrid player. The Austrian joined Real Madrid on a free transfer from Bayern Munich last summer after his contract with the German giants expired, and has settled in quickly. Behind the scenes, though, it wasn’t all plain sailing.

“It [Bayern] was a second home after 13 years there,” Alaba said as per Spanish newspaper Marca. “I had an important role at the club and in the team. “I knew the city from top to bottom and I had a lot of friends in Munich. I had to give up a lot of comfort to join Real Madrid.”

Alaba discussed his time in Madrid thus far, describing 2021 as “an amazing year for him” and one full of passion. “A lot of people in the dressing room don’t speak English, so that forces me to speak Spanish,” Alaba joked. “But giving an interview in Spanish would be something else completely.”

ONE OF THE BIGGEST SIGNINGS OF 2021

In May, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Austrian defender David Alaba from Bayern Munich, the German champions. Alaba has been associated with the most successful team in European football history for some time, so the move comes as no surprise. The Austrian joined Real Madrid on a free transfer after refusing to renew his contract with Bayern Munich. Alaba, like Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, is a versatile player. 

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The Austrian has the ability to play as a left defender, centre back, and defensive midfielder. Of course, he had to learn these qualities over the course of his trophy-laden career, unlike Kimmich. It was rumoured that a number of clubs, including Manchester United, were in the running.

“Real Madrid CF has reached an agreement with the player David Alaba, who will remain linked to the club for the next five seasons,” a club statement read. “David Alaba will be presented as a new Real Madrid player after the completion of Euro 2021,” it added. This means that the 28-year-old will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu until the 2026-2027 season if he is not sold before that.