Xabi Alonso delivers Real Madrid warning after suffering first disappointment
New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has called for patience after he replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu, with the former Bayer Leverkusen boss returning to a club he spent six years at as a player
Xabi Alonso has warned it will take time for him to stamp his own authority on Real Madrid. Real Madrid boss Alonso says it will be an 'ongoing process' for the Spanish giants after their disappointing start to the Club World Cup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his debut against Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in the searing heat of Miami as Real were held to a 1-1 draw. They now face Mexican club Pachuca in Charlotte on Sunday with a determination to get back on track as RB Salzburg top the Group after winning their opening fixture.
But they have also seen Kylian Mbappe miss training and was taken to hospital with gastroenteritis but his whole participation is now in serious doubt.
Ex-Liverpool midfielder Alonso is known for his attention to detail, tactics and intricate formations wan it is clear that it will take time for him to impose his ideas.
Alonso, talking ahead of the second game with Pachuca, said: 'Of course it will take time and it is a process.
'We are working together and working hard but we have to be patient and get things right on the training pitch for it to work in the matches.'
That was a view shared by keeper Thibaut Courtois who put it bluntly: 'We were with Carlo Ancelotti for four years and now we have to change. It doesn't happen in four days.'
Real Madrid starlet Gonzalo Garcia was one of several players to complain about the temperature, heat and kick-off time.
They kicked off at 3pm and face a similar challenge in Charlotte with the same kick-off time and that city is known for its humidity.
Garcia added: 'It's no excuse, and it's a game that perhaps would have been better at a different time.'
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