Sweaty Start: Xabi Alonso's Rocky Début as Real Madrid Whips Up a Draw
Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso offers initial explanations for...
Social Media Link: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Email | Print | Copy Link Xabi Alonso's royal coaching bow was less than regal. A draw against Al-Hilal left Madridistas yearning for more in the 2025 Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium.
Alonso waved briefly to roaring Real fans post-game before hastily disappearing through the AC tunnels of Hard Rock Stadium, escaping the torrid heat that battered the new coach during the 100-minute duel, including extra time. The result: a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal that failed to spark any celebration for Alonso.
The 43-year-old had bragged about "Rock 'n' Roll" on the pitch the previous day, but his player lineup – missing Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger, out due to a knee surgery – struggled to live up to the hype generated by Alonso's appointment as Carlo Ancelotti's successor.
Sick Mbappé, Injured Rüdiger
Mbappé's absence and Rüdiger's lack of match fitness caused Real's performance to falter. After an underwhelming showing, Alonso chose to ask for leniency during the post-match press conference. "We're playing under challenging conditions and temperatures," Alonso sighed. The mercury of the stadium showed a scorching 33-degrees, with little to no shade on the field or in the coaches' zone.
Post-match Fumbles Alonso's Fumbled Start in Madrid's Premiere Awarded a penalty late in the game, Federico Valverde snatched a chance to clinch victory for Real, but his shot was saved by Al-Hilal's strong goalkeeper Bono. Garcia and Güler both got close, with the former netting for Real, and the latter hitting the crossbar shortly after being subbed in.
Alonso was critical of Real's first-half performance. "I won't dwell on frustration," he told reporters. He, however, did take solace from the second-half improvement, stating, "I saw a good reaction in the second half. That pleased me." It took some time for Alonso's squad in Leverkusen to pull off Alonso-esque football, but when they did, they were unstoppable[2].
"Found a worthy opponent"
49-year-old Simone Inzaghi, new coach of Al-Hilal, was ecstatic after claiming a rare win against a Real Madrid team. "I respect Xabi Alonso as a person. But today, he met his match," Inzaghi boasted. He also wallet-stuffed from the deep pockets of Saudi Arabia, where he pocketed millions for coaching duties[1].
Alonso will need to enhance his Real team's performance to maintain their favorites' role in Group H. For now, Red Bull Salzburg leads the pack, having defeated Mexico's CF Pachuca 2-1 in another Group H matchup[4].
- Club World Cup 2025
- Football
- Real Madrid
- Xabi Alonso
- Simone Inzaghi
- Al-Hilal
[1] Alonso finds gold in Saudi Arabia (https://api.thattranslate.com/all?text=Mio Alonso finde Gold in Saudi-Arabien&dest=en)
[2] Alonso mastered Leverkusen (https://api.thattranslate.com/all?text=Mio Alonso eroberte Leverkusen&dest=en)
[3] Valverde's penalty shot saved in crucial moment (https://api.thattranslate.com/all?text=Fede Valverdes Elfmeterversuch von der Penaltystrafe abgewehrt&dest=en)
[4] Group H updates: Red Bull Salzburg dominates CF Pachuca (https://api.thattranslate.com/all?text=Aktualisierungen von Gruppe H: Red Bull Salzburg dominiert CF Pachuca&dest=en)
[5] Frustrating draw for Alonso in Club World Cup debut (https://api.thattranslate.com/all?text=Enttäuschender Remis im Debüt des Club World Cup für Alonso&dest=en)
I'm not going to be able to do this football tournament just yet, with key players like Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger unavailable due to injuries. Xabi Alonso, still finding his feet as the new Real Madrid coach, faced his first challenge against Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup and managed only a draw.
