Four Things Xabi Alonso Can Do Differently for Real Madrid vs. Pachuca | OneFootball

With the clock ticking down to Real Madrid’s clash with Pachuca, Xabi Alonso is under pressure to find solutions to his team’s previous underwhelming performance.

For the first time in four years, Real Madrid kicked off a match without Carlo Ancelotti in charge. Los Blancos took on Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium with Alonso on the touchline, but they only managed an uninspiring 1–1 draw.

There were some bright spots in Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup opener, including the impressive debut of Dean Huijsen and Gonzalo García’s breakout performance. Yet the Spanish giants were still plagued by many of the same issues that prevented them from winning a major trophy last season.

Alonso now has the responsibility to turn Real Madrid around before his new side takes on Pachuca at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, June 22.

Here's a look at four ways Alonso could improve Los Blancos’ chances of securing their first FIFA Club World Cup victory.

Start Arda Güler

Arda Güler is fighting for a spot in Alonso's XI. / IMAGO/Gribaudi/ImagePhoto

Possibly the most obvious change for Alonso could come through Arda Güler. The 20-year-old was overlooked in the new manager’s XI against Al Hilal, once again reduced to a substitute role.

Güler played his role to near-perfection, though, in Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup opener. The Türkiye international came on at halftime and completely changed the game for Real Madrid.

Not only was he denied by the woodwork just seconds into his appearance, but he also created the most chances (3) in the game despite only playing the second half. His left foot is a constant danger for teams to worry about and his creativity in the final third is Los Blancos’ best tool against a low block.

Güler could take Rodrygo’s place on the right wing, or Alonso could opt to deploy a four-man midfield that features the young star. Either way, it is becoming more and more obvious that Real Madrid are at their best when Güler is on the pitch.

Experiment With a Different Formation

Xabi Alonso deployed a 4-3-3 in his Real Madrid debut. / IMAGO/Sportimage

It is too early to say what formation Alonso will and should be sticking with at Real Madrid. With only one game under his belt, in which almost 10 of his players were unavailable, there is not an entirely accurate sample size to form concrete conclusions.

Yet one thing was clear—Real Madrid did not play well in a 4-3-3. Alonso’s men struggled to maintain possession in the first half, and constantly found themselves on the backfoot at both ends of the pitch. Trent Alexander-Arnold looked shaky isolated on the right flank, Aurélien Tchouaméni was essentially playing as a center back and Jude Bellingham barely got involved in the game.

Coming out of halftime, though, Alonso took Raúl Asencio off and introduced Güler, allowing the manager to experiment with the shape of his team. As soon as the second half kicked off, Real Madrid played with a back three of Tchouaméni, Huijsen and Fran García while Alexander-Arnold moved up into a more advanced role in the midfield.

The team only kept the formation for 20 minutes and then reverted to a back four once Alexander-Arnold came off the pitch in the 65th minute, but in that short window, Real Madrid had Al Hilal defending for their lives. Los Blancos enjoyed their best spell of the match with only three at the back, giving Alonso some serious considerations ahead of the club’s next game.

Whether the manager wants to once again deploy his favored-back three or even switch it up to a 4-2-3-1 so Bellingham can get more involved in the attack, Alonso must consider a departure from a 4-3-3.

Give Luka Modrić More Minutes

Luka Modrić is the most decorated player in Real Madrid history. / IMAGO/DeFodi Images

In a game where Real Madrid were dying for some creativity, Luka Modrić only played six minutes and stoppage time. It is unrealistic to think 39-year-old Modrić will start this summer in the United States, but he can surely bring more to the team than just a few minutes at the end of a match.

Modrić finished the 2024–25 season with 57 appearances, the second-most on the team, and nine assists, the fourth-most on the team. Despite his age, he is still capable of making an impact, especially when given enough time.

Real Madrid could have snatched all three points against Al Hilal if they had someone with Modrić’s vision or set-piece delivery on the pitch for longer than just a cameo. Plus, the Croatia captain would have provided some much-needed stability and control to Los Blancos’ midfield that struggled to dictate the tempo of the match.

Reducing a Ballon d’Or winner to just six minutes in a tied game was a perplexing decision by Alonso, one that he could amend against Pachuca.

Decide on a Designated Penalty Taker

Fede Valverde (right) missed a penalty in the dying moments of Real Madrid's FIFA Club World Cup opener. / Hannah Mckay-Reuters via Imagn Images

Penalties are becoming a real problem for Real Madrid. Los Blancos have failed to convert seven of their last 19 penalties across all competitions. Fede Valverde became the latest player in white to miss from the spot, forcing Real Madrid to settle for just a point against Al Hilal.

The Uruguayan is now the fourth player to miss a penalty for Real Madrid since the start of the 2024–25 season. Kylian Mbappé missed three, Vinícius Júnior missed two, and Bellingham missed one during Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge.

Despite the misses, Real Madrid’s penalty-taking hierarchy starts with Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, and then goes to Bellingham. Alonso, though, needs to figure out who should be stepping up to the spot when those three superstars are not on the pitch.

Valverde took the penalty at Hard Rock Stadium when arguably, Modrić should have been the one to try his luck from 12 yards out. The decision ultimately wound up costing Los Blancos two points, something that cannot happen again if they want to win the FIFA Club World Cup.

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