"I understood in 5 minutes why Liverpool fans said that about Alexander-Arnold's defense."
Real Madrid drew 1-1 with Al Hilal in the Group H opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA, on the 19th (Korean time).
In the early stages of the first half, Al Hilal actually took the lead. Milinkovic-Savic, Leonardo's successive shots, and even a goal from Rodrygo were nullified due to offside.
In the 34th minute of the first half, Real scored the opening goal when Gonzalo García finished off a cross from Rodrygo during a counterattack. However, in the 39th minute, Al Hilal equalized as Ruben Neves successfully converted a penalty following a foul by Marco Asensio.
In the second half, Real brought in Arda Güler to change the momentum and continued to create chances, including a shot that struck the crossbar, but they fell short in finishing. In the 45th minute of the second half, Federico Valverde missed a penalty kick awarded after a VAR review, wasting a chance to take the lead.
The match ultimately finished 1-1. Real fielded most of their starters, but they missed victory due to Al Hilal's organized defense and goalkeeper Bono's saves.
After the match, Spain's Marca reported on the press conference content of coach Alonso. Making his debut as Real Madrid's manager, Alonso said, "Everything takes time. We’ve only trained three times. While there is an expectation for immediate results, we need time to become the team we want to be. There are areas where improvement is needed, and that is natural. However, there was a response in the second half."
He noted, "There are good and disappointing aspects mixed together. The result is disappointing. In the second half, we were certainly better. The first half was not very enjoyable. It became a time to identify areas for improvement. In the second half, the balance was good, possession improved, and we pushed the opponent back deeper. However, we lacked one goal. I see that point positively. We will build on that foundation."
He also spoke about the 'newcomers' making their debuts. Alonso said, "Dean (Hawaiian) was excellent. Trent (Alexander-Arnold), like the other players, is improving. I am satisfied with both of them."
Fans seemed to think otherwise. The UK's Sports Bible noted on the 19th, "The debut did not meet expectations. In the early stages of the first half against Al Hilal, he faced a scoring crisis due to a defensive error, and it would have been a painful moment had the opponent's goal not been canceled for offside."
It continued, "In particular, Alexander-Arnold was recorded as the player who lost the most duels among all players on the field in the first half, and immediately after the match, Real Madrid fans expressed their disappointment through social media."
One fan commented on social media, "I understood in 5 minutes why Liverpool fans said that about Alexander-Arnold's defense," while another fan pointed out that "he may be better than Lucas Vazquez, but it’s questionable if he is a Real Madrid-level signing."
Another fan analyzed, "There are many problems with Arnold's off-the-ball movements. As he moves inside, Rodrygo ends up taking on the right wing-back role. His defensive transitions are also slow, creating holes in the back space."
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