Xabi Alonso reacts to Dean Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid debuts

Real Madrid failed to start their 2025 Club World Cup campaign with a win, having been held to a 1-1 draw by Al Hilal. It also meant that Xabi Alonso was unable to secure victory in his debut match as the club’s new head coach.

It was not a good day for Real Madrid, and as per Diario AS, Alonso gave his thoughts on proceedings when he spoke to the media post-match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

“The match had a mixture of everything. The result is a shame, in the second half we were much better. I didn’t like the first half too much, it will help us to see what to improve. In the second best we had more balance, we were better with the ball, we sank them more, but we lacked the goal. I’ll take that and we’ll learn from that.

“I know that there are things to improve. That just like there is. I saw a reaction in the second half. Everything takes time. There have only been three training sessions. The demand for the result is there, but what we want to be takes time.”

Alonso spoke on debutants Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while he also gave an update on Kylian Mbappe, who missed out against Al Hilal due to illness.

“Dean has been very good and Trent has gone from less to more, like everyone else. Happy for them. We have to see how Mbappe evolves, in the last two days he has been bad… We have to see how he is.”

It’s clear that Real Madrid must improve in they are to go far in the Club World Cup. A victory over Pachuca this weekend will be essential for their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.