Rocky Start: Xabi Alonso's Debut as Real Madrid's Coach Falls Short
Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso begins offering early explanations
Xabi Alonso's eagerly anticipated coaching debut for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup didn't quite go to plan. The 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal left fans at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium longing for more. The new coach was under pressure to deliver results - fresh off the heels of goal-machine Carlo Ancelotti.
The blazing heat on the pitch, coupled with a dearth of shade, didn't make things easier for Alonso. In the absence of the sick superstar striker Kylian Mbappé and the still-recovering Antonio Rüdiger, the team's performance fell short of expectations. Constantly praised for his impressive tenure at Leverkusen, Alonso was forced to ask for forgiveness after witnessing some lackluster play from Jude Bellingham and the rest of the squad.
In the press conference, the mild-mannered coach admitted to the unfavorable conditions - temperatures soaring to 33 degrees and little shade offered respite. After a first half filled with disappointing play, Alonso insisted that patience was paramount. "It's a process. We can't expect perfection from day one," he said, well aware that Real's notorious supporters have little tolerance for imperfections.
There was a particularly alarming moment in the first half when a miscommunication between Fran Garcia and Raul Asencio led to a penalty for Al-Hilal, which was converted calmly by Ruben Neves. Defensive weaknesses plagued Real - particularly on the left side, where the young duo of Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold seemed flustered and lacked cohesion.
In the second half, however, Alonso saw a marked improvement. But just as Real seemed poised for victory, Federico Valverde's penalty shot in extra time struck the goalpost, Dooming the Spaniards to a draw against the brave outsiders from Riyadh.
Still, Alonso mustered a smile and expressed satisfaction with the team's reaction. Simone Inzaghi of Al-Hilal shared appreciation for the young coach - "I admire Xabi Alonso as a person. But today he found a worthy opponent. We were dangerous for Real Madrid. I'm happy," said the Italian coach, who now earns a hefty salary in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The single point puts Alonso's Real firmly in third position in Group H. Red Bull Salzburg leads the pack with a 2-1 win against CF Pachuca, leaving Alonso's squad with the task of improving their results to live up to the favorites' role.
Key Insights:
- Limiting Factors: Factors influencing the team's performance in the debut match included the absence of key players, limited preparation time, and defensive weaknesses, particularly on the left side of the defense.
- Bold Choices: By benching star player Kylian Mbappé and trusting younger players like Gonzalo Garcia, Alonso demonstrated a willingness to experiment and build a new team dynamic.
- Work in Progress: The coaching debut highlighted issues that needed addressing, and Alonso acknowledged the impact of limited preparation time with the squad. His ambitious vision for turning Real Madrid into an "unstoppable force" relies on more time for adjustments and building team cohesion.
I'm not going to be able to do this, Alonso admitted during the press conference, referring to the lackluster performance during his debut match as Real Madrid's coach. Despite his successful tenure at Leverkusen, he found sports like football particularly challenging under the blazing heat and without key players like Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger.
