There was a lot of excitement to see Xabi Alonso‘s Real Madrid make their debut in the Club World Cup, and the disappointment was huge, especially after a first half that was a carbon copy of Real Madrid‘s entire season. It is true that he has had little time since taking the reins of the team, but nothing new was evident and the Whites allowed themselves to be held to a draw that complicates their passage to the round of 16.
Xabi Alonso and his approach to his debut
There had been much speculation about the Tolosa-born coach’s lineup for the debut against Al-Hilal. Three center backs and two attacking wingbacks, if not four midfielders. But few expected his system to be a carbon copy of Carlo Ancelotti’s, a 4-3-3 (with Gonzalo starting in place of Mbappé, who didn’t leave the hotel and was one of the best players on the pitch), with no build-up in midfield, little pressure without the ball, and the same defensive errors that have done so much damage throughout the season.
In the second half, the picture changed slightly. He replaced Asencio (who was shown a yellow card) with Güler, moving Tchouaméni back into defense (another thing Madrid fans don’t want to see, but the shortage of fit center backs continues). The team changed completely. The Turk, as expected, breathed life into the team, gave meaning to the game with the ball and was one of the best players in a team that is crying out for a change in midfield and in the way they approach games.
A lot of work with the attacking players
He also has work to do with Rodrygo and Vinicius. Both players were involved in the attack, although far from decisive, Rodrygo offered nothing new compared to his poor season and once again showed that he is far from the level expected of him. Vinicius did create a little more danger, especially in the second half when the heat ended up suffocating him. But both players once again showed their lack of commitment to the team effort. Xabi Alonso has work to do with them and must demand much more if he wants the Whites to start behaving like a team again.
Low defensive intensity
The first half of Real Madrid’s performance was very reminiscent of what we have seen throughout the season, with no sense of purpose in defense. In the first ten minutes of the game, they were completely outplayed by Al-Hilal, who deserved to take the lead. The team barely had a look in the first half, and only a counterattack ended with a goal from Gonzalo, the MVP of the match, to cover up the same flaws seen throughout the season. Asencio made a silly mistake on the stroke of halftime, conceding a penalty that was as fair as it was obvious, which ultimately cost Real Madrid two points.
Bellingham and his role in the team
The English international was once again one of the best players on the team, once again participating, fighting, and looking for ways to get the team playing, but it seems that he has not yet found the definitive role that Xabi Alonso himself spoke of. He was everywhere again, without his real position being very clear. It is clear that he will continue to have freedom of movement, but so much mobility takes its toll and he ended up exhausted, something unusual for the Englishman despite the high temperatures.
Xabi Alonso has his work cut out for him and has to change many habits at Real Madrid. He has hardly had time to work with his players, but Filippo Inzaghi had even less time with Al-Hilal, and yet the Italian coach gave the Tolosa-born coach a tactical masterclass.