Arda Güler reflected on his growth at Real Madrid during an interview with TRT Spor, where he discussed his role under Xabi Alonso, his relationship with Kylian Mbappé, and the influence Luka Modric had on his development.

The Turkish midfielder also spoke about the upcoming World Cup challenge with his national team and how his experiences at Real Madrid have helped shape him as a player.

On his connection with Mbappé, Güler highlighted the understanding they share on the pitch.

“Kylian and I have a similar way of understanding football. We have a special chemistry on the pitch. Besides being an incredible player, he’s also a great person off the field.”

The midfielder also revealed that Xabi Alonso contacted him after the match against Bayern Munich.

“After the match against Bayern, he sent me a message. He wrote that he was very proud of me. I was very happy when I saw the message.”

Güler reserved special praise for Luka Modric, describing the Croatian as one of the greatest midfielders of his era.

“He’s an incredible player. I feel very fortunate to have played with him, to have talked about football with him, and to have been able to learn from him. He’s one of the most complete midfielders of our generation.”

The Real Madrid player also explained how his role on the pitch changed after Xabi Alonso’s arrival.

“During [Jorge] Jesus’s time at Fenerbahçe, I played on the right wing. I continued there with Ancelotti as well, because there were many players in the center. Xabi Alonso, before arriving, spoke to me and told me he was thinking of me for the center. I was very happy because that’s the position I’ve felt most comfortable in since I was a child. It was exactly the role I wanted, and it didn’t take me long to adapt.”

Discussing his mentality, Güler admitted he can become obsessed with small details during matches.

“There are things I get obsessed with. When someone takes the ball from me on the field, I fix my attention on it. In the match against Bayern where I scored two goals, I missed a tackle. I watched it for two or three days and got angry with myself. I kept telling myself I should have won that tackle.”

He also compared the pressure at Real Madrid with the mentality he experienced at Fenerbahçe.

“Fenerbahçe was a club that wanted to win everything. We also tried to win every match with the national team. Real Madrid's structure is similar, so I'm used to this situation.”

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