The Hard Rock Stadium is set to host Xabi Alonso’s first match in charge of Real Madrid as they take on Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup. The Spanish tactician will be eager to kick off the new era with a win, but it won’t be straightforward against the Saudi giants, who have also appointed a new manager in Simone Inzaghi.
The former Inter Milan boss will be hoping to make an instant impact and boost Al-Hilal’’ chances of reaching the knockout stage by scripting a major upset.
Los Blancos did not have the best of seasons last time out. While technically they were not trophyless, the team in white did not win any of the major competitions. Following their inconsistent performances, the management decided to part ways with Carlo Ancelotti and replaced him with Xabi Alonso, who did wonders at Bayer Leverkusen.
While it has not been long since Alonso took charge, there are still a lot of expectations from him. Real Madrid fans are excited to see the tactical changes that he will bring in and are hoping they can touch great heights under him, starting with the CWC.
Meanwhile, Al-Hilal have also appointed Simone Inzaghi as their new head coach. The former Inter Milan boss, who led the Italian side to a Champions League final, took charge just a week ago and will be hoping to make an immediate impact.
The Saudi club secured a second-placed finish in the league last season and will be hoping to go one better this time around under Inzaghi. But before turning their focus to the new campaign, they will be looking to go deep in the Club World Cup.
While Real Madrid are capable of pushing for a knockout spot in a group that also features Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg, facing Los Blancos will be a major challenge despite the number of stars in their squad. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
While Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Ferland Mendy have all travelled with the squad despite their injury concerns, they are unlikely to be risked.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger’s availability is also a major doubt and Endrick is ruled out due to a hamstring injury. While Alonso prefers playing with a back three, he is likely to use the 4-3-3 at Real Madrid.
Summer signings Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to make their debut in this fixture. The duo could be in Alonso’s starting XI. Thibaut Courtois will be in goal for Alonso’s team. Alexander-Arnold and Fran Garcia as the full-backs with Raul Asen,cio and Dean Huijsen in the heart of the defence.
Aurelien Tchouameni should be the defensive midfielder with skipper Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham in his support. In the final third, Rodrygo Try and Vinicius Junior should feature on the flanks, with Kylian Mbappe as the number nine.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
While it has not been long since Simone Inzaghi took charge at the club, he is still expected to make significant tactical changes heading into this fixture.
Al-Hilal are expected to go ahead with his preferred 3-5-2 formation, where Yassine Bounou will be in goal. The back three should be made up of Kalidou Koulibaly, Hassan Tambakti and Ali Al-Bulayhi.
Meanwhile, Joao Cancelo and Nasser Al-Dawsari are expected to be the wing-backs for the Saudi Pro League giants. In the centre of the park, Ruben Neves will start alongside Mohamed Kanno and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The trio will look to ensure Madrid midfielders are not allowed to dominate the ball and dictate the pace of the game. In attack, Aleksandar Mitrovic will start alongside Malcom.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Bono; Tambakti, Koulibaly, Al-Bulayhi; Cancelo, Kanno, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, S. Al-Dawsari; Malcom, Mitrovic
Real Madrid as a team did not meet expectations during the 2024/25 season, but Mbappe certainly lived up to the hype. While it was not that easy a start for the France skipper at his new club, he slowly picked up the pace and delivered an exceptional season.
The 26-year-old was involved in a total of 56 matches, and he ended up contributing towards 48 goals (43 goals, 5 assists). Mbappe averaged a goal every 107th minute, and he will be eager to carry on in similar fashion when he takes the pitch for Madrid on Wednesday.
Real Madrid might not have enjoyed the best of seasons last time out, but with a new manager at the helm and Kylian Mbappe leading the line, they will be raring to make a statement in the Club World Cup opener. Xabi Alonso’s arrival has injected fresh optimism into the squad, and they will be eager to kickstart the new era with a win.
Al-Hilal, on the other hand, have enough quality to hurt the Spanish giants, especially with the likes of Mitrovic, Malcolm, and Milinkovic-Savic in their ranks. Simone Inzaghi has only just taken charge, but his familiarity with European football could give the Saudi side an edge in terms of preparation.
However, given the sheer firepower and depth in Madrid’s squad, it might be a step too far for Al-Hilal. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Los Blancos.
