Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid Debut Falls Flat as Al Hilal Forces Frustrating 1-1 Draw
Real Madrid were forced to accept a draw in their FIFA Club World Cup opening match against Al Hilal following Fede Valverde's missed penalty opportunity in injury time.
Real Madrid began the Xabi Alonso era facing Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen made their much-awaited first appearances while Real Madrid Castilla graduate Gonzalo García was selected to lead the attack in place of the unwell Kylian Mbappé.
Even with the two defensive additions, Real Madrid experienced an uncertain beginning in Miami. Al Hilal actually opened the scoring first when Salem Al-Dawsari outmaneuvered Alexander-Arnold down the right side, though the goal was ruled out due to an offside position.
Real Madrid found their rhythm eventually and capitalized on a counter-attack shortly past the 30-minute mark. Rodrygo advanced quickly and delivered an excellent pass to García, who executed a precise finish into the net. The Spanish club maintained their 1–0 advantage for only seven minutes before Rúben Neves leveled the score from the penalty spot.
The substitution of Arda Güler at the interval provided Real Madrid with a vital boost. The 20-year-old hit the post within seconds of the second half's start and utilized his inventiveness to push his team forward, testing Al Hilal's organized defense.
Nevertheless, Los Blancos were unable to secure the victory. In the match's final moments, Fede Valverde had the chance to claim all three points for Real Madrid from the penalty spot, but Bono made the save.
The outcome represents a frustrating beginning to Real Madrid's FIFA Club World Cup journey, though there were positive aspects to take from the stalemate. Huijsen appeared confident and composed in his first appearance, Rodrygo delivered his finest display in months, and the team only allowed a goal from a penalty kick. However, the squad must show improvement if they aim to compete for the title.
Check out the player ratings from the match below.
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Al Hilal (4-3-3)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Position / Player | Ratings (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Thibaut Courtois | 6.3 |
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 6.9 |
CB: Raúl Asencio | 6.4 |
CB: Dean Huijsen | 7.4 |
LB: Fran García | 8.2 |
CM: Fede Valverde | 6.7 |
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni | 7.7 |
CM: Jude Bellingham | 6.9 |
RW: Rodrygo | 7.1 |
ST: Gonzalo García | 8.1 |
LW: Vinícius Júnior | 6.9 |
SUB: Arda Güler (45' for Asencio) | 7.5 |
SUB: Lucas Vázquez (65' for Alexander-Arnold) | 6.3 |
SUB: Brahim Díaz (65' for Rodrygo) | 6.3 |
SUB: Víctor Muñoz (80' for Vinícius Júnior) | 6.8 |
SUB: Luka Modrić (84' for Bellingham) | N/A |
Al Hilal Player Ratings vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Position / Player | Ratings (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Yassine Bounou | 8 |
RB: João Cancelo | 6.9 |
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly | 6.5 |
CB: Hassan Al-Tombakti | 7 |
LB: Renan Lodi | 7.1 |
DM: Rúben Neves | 8.1 |
DM: Nasser Al Dawsari | 6.5 |
RW: Malcom | 6.6 |
AM: Sergej Milinković-Savić | 6.5 |
LW: Salem Al-Dawsari | 6.3 |
ST: Marcos Leonardo | 6.5 |
SUB: Hamad Al-Yami (64' for Cancelo) | 6.5 |
SUB: Mohammed Al-Qahtani (64' for Malcom) | 5.5 |
SUB: Mohamed Kanno (76' for N. Al-Dawsari) | 6 |
SUB: Moteb Al-Harbi (83' for Lodi) | N/A |
SUB: Musab Al-Juwayr (83' for Leonardo) | N/A |