Real Madrid's Stumble in Xabi Alonso's Debut
Real Madrid is currently under scrutiny as Xabi Alonso seeks clarification regarding certain matters.
Real Madrid's dream start under their new coach, Xabi Alonso, went down the drain in the Club World Cup as they settled for a disappointing 1:1 draw against Al-Hilal. The savvy football fans at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami expected nothing less than a win for their beloved team, but Alonso's debut didn't quite live up to the hype.
The 43-year-old former Leverkusen coach was not thrilled with what he saw from the likes of Jude Bellingham, as the team did not channel the passion and perfection expected of them. The squad was missing star striker Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger, who was not fully fit due to a knee operation, which may have contributed to the team's lackluster performance.
Real Madrid's play without their key players left much to be desired, and it ultimately led to Alonso asking for patience and understanding from the fans. He admitted that expectations of perfection are unrealistic from day one and emphasized that it's a process. However, the pressure is on Alonso to deliver results in the shortest time possible, especially during the XXL tournament in America.
Despite a struggling first half, Alonso saw a good response from his team in the second half, which was a positive sign for the future. However, they still had their fair share of close calls, including a missed penalty by Federico Valverde in injury time, as well as a shot from youth academy player Arda Güler that hit the crossbar.
Al-Hilal, the underdog in the match, had a strong showing, especially in the first half, thanks to their Brazilian wingers and balanced lineup featuring players like Rubén Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. They scored an early goal, took control of the match, and exposed weaknesses in Madrid's setup, putting them on the brink of an upset.
Xabi Alonso was gracious in his post-match comments, acknowledging that he found a worthy opponent in Al-Hilal. However, he is under no illusion about the work that needs to be done to lift Real Madrid to the top of Group H in the Club World Cup. The team is currently led by Red Bull Salzburg, who defeated CF Pachuca 2-1 in their opening match.
As Alonso embarks on this new journey, he will look to rectify the mistakes and build a cohesive and competitive squad that can live up to the expectations of the Real Madrid fans.
- Club World Cup 2025
- Football
- Real Madrid
- Xabi Alonso
Enrichment Data Insights
Xabi Alonso faced a challenging start as Real Madrid coach at the 2025 Club World Cup due to a disappointing 1:1 draw against Al-Hilal. Despite a weak and disorganized defense, Al-Hilal's effective pressing and balanced lineup exposed cracks in Real Madrid's setup, creating a sense of urgency for Alonso to build a cohesive and competitive squad. Although there were some positive moments, such as a goal from youth academy player Gonzalo Garcia and effective substitutions fixing the initial weak performance, Real Madrid struggled defensively and in finishing chances. Furthermore, Alonso's Real Madrid team faces considerable challenges in defense, finishing, and team cohesion moving forward.
I'm not going to be able to do this, I thought as I watched Real Madrid struggle against Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup. Despite the promising talent on the field, it seemed like football wasn't our game tonight.
