Xabi Alonso Chooses Gonzalo Over Mbappe: Takeaways From Real Madrid’s Club World Cup Victory vs. Dortmund | OneFootball

Real Madrid secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals, defeating Borussia Dortmund 3–2 in a game that had just about everything.

For 90 minutes at MetLife Stadium, Xabi Alonso’s men dominated Dortmund. Gonzalo García opened the scoring in the 10th minute, bagging his fourth goal of the tournament thanks to a brilliant ball from Arda Güler. Fran García then found the back of the net 10 minutes later with all of the credit going to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s sublime assist.

Even when Maximilian Beier pulled one back for Dortmund in the 92nd minute, the game never looked in doubt for the Spanish giants. In fact, Kylian Mbappé went right down the pitch and scored an acrobatic bicycle kick to restore Real Madrid’s two-goal lead.

Dean Huijsen then needlessly took down Serhou Guirassy inside the box, earning himself a red card and gifting Dortmund a penalty. The BVB striker buried his attempt from the spot, but he could not rally his side to find a third goal in the dying moments of stoppage time.

Here’s three takeaways from Real Madrid’s 3–2 victory over Dortmund.

Xabi Alonso’s Decision to Bench Kylian Mbappe Pays Off

Kylian Mbappé did not get the nod over Gonzalo García in the Club World Cup quarterfinals. / IMAGO/Sportsphoto

Real Madrid’s new boss turned heads when he named his XI ahead of the Club World Cup quarterfinals. Alonso gave Gonzalo the nod alongside Vinícius Júnior, relegating Mbappé to the bench for the second consecutive match.

It was no surprise when the Frenchman only made a brief cameo against Juventus in the round of 16; Mbappé had missed the entire group stage due to a serious bout of illness. He was ready and available to start at MetLife Stadium, though, but was overlooked for the breakout star of the tournament.

It only took 10 minutes against Dortmund for Alonso’s bold decision to pay off. Gonzalo found Real Madrid’s opener with another close-range effort, bagging his fourth goal of the summer. The 21-year-old is now tied with Ángel Di María and Marcos Leonardo for the Club World Cup Golden Boot.

Gonzalo’s impressive performance and Mbappé’s goal off the bench give Alonso even more of a conundrum ahead of the semifinals. Does he stick with the striker that has carried Real Madrid in the United States or does he bench him for one of the best players in the world? The former Bayer Leverkusen boss could also start Mbappé in place of Vinícius Júnior, who has just one goal to his name this summer.

Fran Garcia Makes His Case to Become Real Madrid’s Starting Left Back

Fran García bagged his first goal of the Club World Cup in the quarterfinals. / Lee Smith-Reuters via Imagn Images

After bringing in a new center back and right back this summer, Real Madrid also had their sights set on signing a left back ahead of the 2025–26 season. Ferland Mendy is expected to be out until October after undergoing surgery for a ruptured tendon in his right quadriceps muscle, forcing the club to pursue a replacement.

Except Real Madrid could not reach an agreement with Benfica to sign Álvaro Carreras before the Club World Cup kicked off, leaving Fran as the only first-team left back available this summer. The Spaniard had lost the trust of former boss Carlo Ancelotti after a few underwhelming defensive performances; in fact, the Italian manager opted to start David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga over Fran as last season came to a close.

Fran came into the Club World Cup with everything to prove to his new manager, and he has put in great performance after great performance. The left back now has a goal and an assist to his name in five appearances in the United States, taking advantage of the newfound freedom he has playing as a left wing-back.

Los Blancos could opt to save some money this summer and give Fran the starting job until Mendy returns after his success in the Club World Cup.

Real Madrid’s Victory Sets Up Tantalizing Semifinal

The pressure will be on Real Madrid's young stars to deliver in the semifinals. / Jeenah Moon-Reuters via Imagn Images

For the first time in three years, Real Madrid will face off with PSG. The two European giants will battle for a place in the Club World Cup final in what will surely be one of the best matches of the entire tournament.

The fixture oozes with storylines, none bigger than Mbappé facing his former club for the first time in a white shirt. The Frenchman bid farewell to the French capital to join Real Madrid last summer, and PSG went on to win a historic quadruple that included their first-ever Champions League title without their all-time leading goalscorer.

Beyond Mbappé, though, the match will feature the biggest and best superstars in the sport. From Vinícius Júnior and Trent Alexander-Arnold to Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha, the talent across the pitch for the highly anticipated semifinal gives the match a Champions League-feel. Dean Huijsen, along with Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernández will miss the game, though, after receiving red cards in the quarterfinals.

The fixture will be the first major test for Alonso and his new-look Real Madrid. Taking on and possibly defeating the defending European champions could signal a return to dominance for the Spanish giants, a scary sight for the rest of Europe.

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