The new era under Xabi Alonso was off to a disappointing start for Real Madrid as they could only manage a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal. Now, they will be hoping to get their Club World Cup campaign back on track with a win over CF Pachuca, who are bottom of Group H.
After a disappointing 2024/25 campaign where they failed to win any major silverware, Los Blancos were hoping for a positive start under new boss Xabi Alonso. But it was not to be as Al-Hilal managed to secure a 1-1 draw. The Saudi giants did allow the team in white to play the kind of football they wanted to.
Alonso will be hoping his team puts together a much-improved performance against CF Pachuca. They will certainly be out-and-out favourites, but Los Blancos will still have to deliver on the pitch.
The Mexican outfit started their Club World Cup campaign with a disappointing 2-1 loss at the hands of Red Bull Salzburg. While they did have their chances, Pachuca were not clinical enough in the final third; as a result, they are bottom of the group.
While a win over Real Madrid can certainly revive CF Pachuca’s campaign, it looks very unlikely, as there is a massive gulf in quality between the two teams. A defeat here could bring an end to their hopes of making it to the next round. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Los Blancos are expected to be without the services of Kylian Mbappe, Endrick, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy. While Antonio Rudiger could be back in the squad, he still might not be risked here.
The team in white will continue to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will be in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fran Garcia will feature as the full-backs, while Raul Asencio will pair up with Dean Huijsen in the heart of the defence.
Aurelien Tchouameni will take up the defensive role with Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham in his support. The trio will look to dominate the ball and dictate the pace of the game. Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius will feature on the flanks, with Gonzalo Garcia expected to be leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Fran Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius
The Mexican club do not have any fresh injury concerns; as a result, Jaime Lozano is expected to stick with the same XI that started against Red Bull Salzburg.
Pachuca will also line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Carlos Moreno will be in goal. Luis Rodriguez and Bryan Gonzalez will feature as the full-backs, while Eduardo Bauermann will partner with Federico Pereira in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Elias Montiel will start alongside Pedro Pedraza and Agustin Palavecino. The trio will look to ensure the Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the ball too deep in their half.
Alexei Dominguez and Kenedy will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Meanwhile, veteran Venezuelan Salomon Rondon will lead the line for CF Pachuca against Real Madrid this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Moreno; Rodriguez, Bauermann, Pereira, Gonzalez; Montiel, Pedraza, Palavecino; Dominguez, Rondon, Kenedy
Having missed the chance to help his team secure all three points in their last outing, Valverde will be eager to get Real Madrid back to winning ways. Given how important he has been to the team over the years, the 26-year-old could certainly have a major impact on the outcome of the game.
While the Uruguayan international will look to help Real Madrid dominate possession, he also has the ability to contribute in the final third. After contributing to 17 goals last season, Valverde will be hungry for more.
Real Madrid will be eager to bounce back from their underwhelming draw against Al-Hilal, and they are expected to come out all guns blazing against CF Pachuca. Xabi Alonso’s men will look to stamp their authority early on and dominate proceedings through their midfield trio of Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Jude Bellingham.
Meanwhile, Pachuca will need to produce something truly special if they are to get anything out of this clash. Their backline looked vulnerable against Red Bull Salzburg, and a more clinical Real Madrid side could punish them even more. Given the gulf in quality, Los Blancos should find plenty of joy in the final third. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-0 win for the team in white.
