For his first official match in charge of Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup opener.
A shaky first half raised some eyebrows, but the new coach isn’t hitting the panic button just yet. “The first half wasn’t great. After the break, we were better — more control, more rhythm,” Alonso told DAZN. “This is the beginning of a new cycle. We need to build our game principles and take the positives from today.”
Spanish media unimpressed: “dull”
Local press wasn’t as forgiving. Marca called it a “dull debut,” and noted Alonso has “a lot of work ahead” to reshape Madrid’s identity. TV pundit Tomas Roncero added: “This wasn’t what we expected. But keep calm…”
Next up: Pachuca, and no excuses
Madrid’s next game is this Sunday at 9 PM against Pachuca. It’s a must-win to restore confidence and prove that Alonso’s Madrid is more than just a work-in-progress.
The journey has begun — but the margin for error is already slim.
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