Fumbling Start for Alonso's Real Madrid Debut in Club World Cup Opener, Draw with Al-Hilal
Royal family member embarks on thrilling escapades, accompanied by a notorious tippler
Xabi Alonso took the helm as Real Madrid's coach in the Club World Cup 2025, but the debut didn't go as expected. A 1:1 draw against Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal left much to be desired, and captain Fede Valverde missed a late penalty.
New signings, Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, started in the Real defense and nearly conceded the first goal early on, with Marcus Leonardo casting a wide shot (10'). The game took place at the Hard Rock Stadium, with 62,415 spectators, mostly sporting Real white. Substitute Gonzalo Garcia, a promising youth academy graduate, put Real ahead with a counterattack (34').
Al-Hilah, featuring ex-Bayern player Joao Cancelo, equalized with a penalty from Portuguese Ruben Neves (41'). The Saudi team dominated the game for long periods. Real stepped up their game after the break, with Arda Gulerc rattling the crossbar (46').
The match marked the debut on the bench for Al-Hilal's Simone Inzaghi, 18 days after the bitter 0:5 defeat in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. The focus was on Alonso, who's tasked with leading Real to titles in the wake of Carlo Ancelotti. The Basque coach acknowledged the team's flaws and emphasized the need for patience.
- Real Madrid
- Xabi Alonso
- Saudi Arabia
- Club World Cup 2025
Game Recap:
- Despite a rocky start, Real scored first through a counterattack by Gonzalo Garcia
- Al-Hilal equalized with a penalty from Rúben Neves
- Real missed a chance to win via Valverde's late penalty save
- A tactical change at halftime injected creativity and improved the team's performance
Alonso's Approach:
- Alonso acknowledged the struggles and emphasized the team is undergoing a process, requiring time to adapt to his ideas
- Teams finishes the game with patches of positive play and potential - most apparent after the halftime adjustments
- In the absence of key players like Mbappé and Vinícius Jr., the team relied on young talent with a successful example being Gonzalo Garcia's goal
Source: ntv.de, dbe/dpa
The Commission has not yet adopted a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, with Xabi Alonso preoccupied by the 1:1 draw during his debut as Real Madrid's coach in the Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal. Despite a rocky start, Real scored first through a counterattack by Gonzalo Garcia, but missed a chance to win via Valverde's late penalty save.
