Alonso talks Asencio, Huijsen, Alexander-Arnold, Mbappe after Real Madrd 1-1 Al-Hilal
Xabi Alonso didn’t hide his feelings after his first match in charge of Real Madrid ended in a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup.
While the team showed improvement in the second half, Alonso admitted that the first 45 minutes were far from ideal. “The result is frustrating because we should have won,” he said.
"We were the better team, especially after the break. The first half wasn’t enjoyable, but it highlighted what we need to work on."
One major talking point was the penalty given away by Raul Asencio. Alonso initially hesitated to comment but eventually said, "From what I saw, it looked like something that could have been avoided."
However, he noted that "The penalty on Fran did seem like that to me."
Alonso also explained the reason behind Raul Asensio’s early substitution. "He’s been on antibiotics recently and hasn’t felt well," he revealed.
"It was a hot and tiring match. That’s not an excuse, but the conditions were tough. Even Vinicius started cramping after the 70th minute. Al Hilal were also visibly drained by the end."
The Real Madrid boss was happy with the performances of the debutants, Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander. "It was a special day for both. Dean had a very strong game, and Trent kept improving as the match went on. They raised our level."
Alonso also touched on Kylian Mbappe’s situation, saying, "We still don’t know if he’ll be ready for the next match."
"He’s been dealing with a serious viral infection. We’ll monitor his progress closely in the coming days."
When asked about Franco Mastantuono, Alonso showed confidence in the teenager. "The idea is for him to help us from the start, and we have high expectations for him. Time will tell, but of course, a 17-18-year-old player can be a starter for Madrid."
Finally, Alonso shared what he told the team at halftime. "We needed to be calmer with the ball. We were rushing in the first half, which made us lose control."
"After the break, we played with more quality and balance, but we still have to improve our finishing," he concluded.