Balance and control. Both were absent from Real Madrid's squad last season. The 2024-2025 season is not necessarily a disaster for Los Blancos. They finished second in La Liga, competing fiercely with Barcelona until May and reached the Copa del Rey final.
However, Madrid were left disappointed when they were eliminated in the round of 16 of the Champions League against Arsenal, losing 1-5 overall. And they also lost 4 consecutive El Clasico matches against Barcelona for the first time in 15 years, including a 3-4 defeat on May 11 that awarded the Blaugrana La Liga championship.
Kylian Mbappe may have scored 43 goals in all competitions, but he is almost the only bright spot for the "White Vultures". That means coach Carlo Ancelotti will lose his job.
That is a decision that Ancelotti himself accepts and understands. He was satisfied when he said an emotional farewell and moved to lead the Brazilian national team.
When Alonso was introduced as Madrid's new coach on May 26, he was extremely confident. However, there are some topics he has to try to avoid, such as the exact time Madrid offered him a move. Or how many opinions he has contributed on issues such as the decision not to award a new contract to veteran midfielder Luka Modric.
Alonso will not be committed to a squad, once again saying that "football is dynamic". When asked how to help Mbappe and Vinicius play well together, he answered mysteriously: "I have an idea".
There are more details about Jude Bellingham's position: "I see him as a midfielder. We will try to make sure he plays as effectively as possible." In addition, there was a vague answer about Rodrygo's future: "I will talk to all the players, because we have to get to know each other."
Alonso reluctantly led the "White Vultures" to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025TM. He still has not had time to assemble a new squad, with a new philosophy and identity, but the Bernabeu demands pay no attention to that.
"These are circumstances, and at one point, I took them as opportunities. First of all, to start with the processes, the way we want the team to be. And on the other hand, to fight for a trophy. If we can do both, it could be a great start," Alonso stressed last month.
Speaking before the tournament in the US, Alonso tried his best to stay optimistic. "Everything is very positive. You will understand the players little by little, have the necessary contact. And many new players are coming.
Things were accelerated a lot, because we had little time to get to know each other. Today we have arrived in the US, and we will start forming a team.
We only have 3 training sessions before the match against Al Hilal, but we are happy to be here, to have a good tournament and get to the finish line" - the Spanish strategist said.
That is Madrid's goal: to reach the final at MetLife Stadium and win. But there is another, even more important goal: to build a team that improves for next season, a team that will not be defeated by Barcelona or any other top club in the Champions League. And that is why it is still unclear whether this tournament will help them or hinder them.
"We need to speed up the process of getting used to and adapting to the new system. Because Real Madrid only had a little time to assemble the squad and get used to the formation I built.
I only had 3 training sessions before entering my first match against Real Madrid. So I have to determine the squad. The whole team will enter the FIFA Club World Cup with the desire and determination to end the tournament in the best way" - Alonso added.
