Alaba's debut before his people

Few players have the opportunity to wear the Real Madrid shirt for the first time, even in a friendly match, in front of their public. David Alaba will be able to remember that day. It was not in Vienna, the city where he was born, but it was 300 kilometers there, in Klagenfurt. The presence of the defender was one of the great demands of the match promoters to sell tickets and the enthusiastic Austrian public has been able to enjoy their presence on the pitch since the start of the match.

A match that will not only be remembered for the premiere of Alaba, but for being the first time in 16 seasons that he 4 Real Madrid is not on Sergio Ramos' back. The club offered the Austrian central defender to inherit the number left vacant by the captain and he accepted. Nor did he have many options, since upon arrival only the 16, which had been carried for the last time by Mayoral, was vacant.

Alaba was the great protagonist of the prolegomena of the game. In case there was any clueless, the speaker from Wörthersee Stadion reminded him when Ancelotti's players came out to warm up. “And here, Praise with Real Madrid”, sounded over the PA system before the three thunderous ovations that the fans dedicated to him., delivered to his compatriot when he greeted when he approached each side in the first band-to-band race that took place in the warm-up.

Whether or not it was due to the presence of his compatriot, the truth is that most of the 30,000 people present at the match took part for the madridista team in the match. Madrid's eleven was effusively applauded over the public address system and the spectators chanted the name of Alaba when he was announced in the line-up … and also that of Gareth Bale. Each intervention by the defender was a real event for the public, which was enraged when the first half was in charge of executing a free kick..

The Austrian, who returned to training on Tuesday after passing the coronavirus, formed a center-back couple with Nacho, with Lucas Vázquez and Marcelo on the rear wings. A test of what the starting defensive line can be in the league debut next Saturday the 14th (22:00, Movistar LaLiga) against Alavés el Mendizorroza.