Alonso's Real Madrid Prototype Show

CHARLOTTE, MONDAY — Real Madrid finally secured their first full points in the Club World Cup after defeating Pachuca, 3-1, at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, United States, on Monday (23/6/2025) early morning WIB. In addition to the victory, fans also witnessed a prototype of Real's playing style under the guidance of new coach, Xabi Alonso.

In the first match against Al Hilal, the Real players appeared somewhat awkward due to the addition of new players, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, in the defense line.

In addition to acquiring new players who require adaptation, the Real players are also still adjusting to the playing style introduced by Alonso. The preparation period, which included three training sessions, has not been sufficient to integrate the players under the guidance of the new coach. As a result, Real's performance was somewhat chaotic, leading to a disappointing draw against Al Hilal.

In the second group stage match against Pachuca, Alonso's playing style began to reveal itself. He slightly modified the lineup and formation compared to the first match.

In the first match, Alonso employed a 4-3-3 formation; this time, he changed it to a 4-1-2-3. The most significant change occurred with Aurelian Tchouameni, who was moved deeper to play as a defensive midfielder.

As for the starting lineup, Alonso entrusted Arda Guler as the starting player in the right winger position to replace Rodrygo. Guler frequently exchanged positions with Federico Valverde, who operated as a right midfielder.

Before having the chance to showcase their new formula, Real was already shocked by the red card issued to Raul Asencio just seven minutes into the match. The center-back, a product of Real's academy, was penalized after bringing down Salomon Rondon near the penalty area.

Playing with 10 players, Real's balance was somewhat disrupted. Tchouameni was forced to fill the position left by Asencio. The Pachuca players attempted to take advantage of their numerical superiority by increasing the intensity of their attacks. This situation prompted Valverde to play a bit deeper, shifting his focus more towards assisting the defense.

"In attack, today we had to rely on one player because we were missing one. It was a very tense game for us. But we defended well and I'm happy with our performance with one player less," Alonso was quoted as saying by DAZN.

In a difficult situation to penetrate Pachuca's defense, Real was fortunate to have a player of Jude Bellingham's caliber who scored the breakthrough goal in the 35th minute.

Bellingham's goal simultaneously showcased the prototype of the playing style that Alonso aims to implement. The goal originated from an effort to build an attack starting from the goalkeeper. During the process of the goal, all Real players ran to create space and played short passes.

Bellingham also contributed to the efforts to build an attack from the defensive line. He continued to run until entering the opponent's final third and unleashed a powerful low shot that could not be stopped by Pachuca's goalkeeper, Carlos Moreno.

"The ball widened and we handled it very well. Fran (Garcia) spread out while carrying the ball, provided me with a very good pass, and everything happened so quickly that it is sometimes difficult to explain," said Bellingham.

The style of play utilizing short, fast passes as desired by Alonso was also evident from the process of Real's second goal scored by Guler in the 43rd minute. The tactic of overloading the players on the left side and then changing the direction of attack (switch play) to the right went smoothly. The combination of short passes between Trent, Gonzalo Garcia, and Guler confused the Pachuca defenders.

Valverde closed the gap for Real with his goal in the 70th minute. Just like the first and second goals, Valverde's mobility this time made it easier for him to break down Pachuca's defense.

To escape from his marker, Valverde gave the ball to Brahim Diaz on the right side. Valverde kept running to find space until he escaped the offside trap and scored after receiving a perfect pass from Diaz.

Although they have begun to integrate Alonso's strategy, there are still many aspects that urgently need improvement at Real. The most crucial issue is the necessity for forwards and midfielders to press the opponents from the outset to prevent the defenders from being exposed.

At the beginning of the match, the forwards of Real did not execute the instructions well. The tactic of pressing Alonson was accompanied by a high defensive line from the defenders. Therefore, when the forwards and midfielders did not apply pressure from the start, Real's high defensive line was easily exploited by the players of Pachuca.

That is why, since his first arrival at Real, Alonso has issued an ultimatum to his players to run more diligently. This demand is to support his playing style, which relies on high intensity and constant pressing.

Efforts to reduce the score were also not evident when Pachuca scored a consolation goal ten minutes before the end of regular time. Pachuca's midfielder, Elias Montiel, was able to find shooting space without any interference from the Real players. Montiel's shot hit Tchouameni, causing it to deflect and go unanticipated by Thibaut Courtois.

"The work and evolution that we are undertaking will bear fruit, but it is not something that happens overnight. However, we are all collaborating, committed as a team, as you can see today. We must continue to work hard in the lead-up to the upcoming match," said Real's left-back, Fran Garcia.