Miami, June 17 -- Expectations are high ahead of Real Madrid's debut at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, as they face Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium here on Wednesday.
The match marks Xabi Alonso's first official game as Real Madrid head coach. Although the former Madrid midfielder and ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss has had just over a week with the squad, all eyes will be on what early changes he has implemented.
Under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid covered among the least distance on the pitch and rarely applied a high press, instead relying on the pace of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo to hit on the break.
Alonso favored a high-pressing style at Leverkusen, with his players disrupting opponents' buildup from the back. Whe...