On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Real Madrid made their debut under Xabi Alonso against Al-Hilal on Wednesday evening, and while it was the dawn of a new era, it was characterised by an uncomfortable and sticky heat in the Miami sun. Their opposition were just as comparable.
Despite the adverse conditions, and the very early stage in Alonso’s time at the club, there were a few takeaways from their 1-1 draw with the Saudi Arabian giants.
Real Madrid are still in preseason
But first it has to be acknowledged that if Alonso is to be allowed to cook, it might take some time to bring this team to the boil. Both he and Thibaut Courtois were keen to point out that they had only spent four training sessions together, and it showed. The combination of the heat and the lack of conditioning at times had Fede Valverde moving in treacle.
President Florentino Perez might be desperate to win this competition, but he will have to accept that Real Madrid are closer to preseason than peak form.
Real Madrid are committed to the press
One of the myths about Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid is that they did not press. The Italian tried in fits and bursts, and in several different seasons, but could never quite configure it to purr like the German machines in the North of Europe. Alonso’s side at times did it poorly, but there was a commitment to do so, and they did manage to the ball back higher up on various occasions.
A long-standing issue, Alonso declared a desire for flexibility in his presentation, but it is fair to suspect he might be a little more rigid no this topic than his predecessor.
Real Madrid will attack responsibly under Alonso
One of the most notable differences was just how conscienscious Real Madrid’s defenders were on the ball. There were times when Trent Alexander-Arnold or Fran Garcia could have pushed forward and wide, but put the breaks on. With possession deep in Al-Hilal’s half, there were always three defenders level or behind the ball, and that safety catch helped limit Al-Hilal in the second half.
Real Madrid haven’t had a defender like Dean Huijsen in a long time
There is no doubt that Dean Huijsen, who is just 20 years of age, has imperfections, and those were visible without the ball. However it was hard not to get drawn into his meandering forward and swept passes, always weighted, always on time. It was refreshing to see Huijsen step into space when offered it, and several of their best attacks late on came from Huijsen behaving more like Luka Modric than most of their other midfielders.
Xabi Alonso is compiling evidence for the transfer committee
It was noticeable that Modric only came on in the final minutes, and Dani Ceballos did not get on at all. That is despite Jude Bellingham, Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni struggling to inject tempo into the game, with Arda Guler often their best solution in that regard. It was seen how much Los Blancos missed a midfielder with interpretative skills akin to Modric or Toni Kroos’ last season. Even with Alexander-Arnold, Guler and Huijsen to take some of the burden, it seems to be setting Alonso an unnecessary challenge to coach around that.
More must-reads:
- Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba suspended for skipping MLS All-Star Game
- Los Angeles FC's shrewd transfer moves could make it a contender for MLS trophies
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
‘No Chance’: Manchester United ‘Rejected’ After Approach for ‘Best in the World’
Manchester United have already conducted a fair bit of summer business, signing Matheus Cunha for £62.5 million and Bryan Mbeumo for a steep £70 million. They seem keen to reinforce their frontline, with previous interest in strikers like Viktor Gyokeres and Hugo Ekitike. However, they must now consider their options for a new goalkeeper with Andre Onana injured in pre-season. Manchester United have had an approach rejected for Emi Martinez. Manchester United Make Moves in the Market After Injury Blow Loan Deal Rejected Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United have approached Aston Villa for their goalkeeper, Martinez. The Red Devils had proposed a loan deal, perhaps with finances running low after plenty of high spending already. However, this has been unsurprisingly “rejected” by the Villans: the Argentinian is their star player and losing him without any immediate cash would seem non-beneficial. On his YouTube channel, the journalist revealed that Villa are saying “no chance” to losing “one of the best in the world, if not the best”. The club are still deciding internally how to go about their goalkeeper conundrum, with their two options being to sign an experienced goalkeeper to help the squad, or a young one who has potential to one day wear the number one shirt. Senne Lammens is reportedly one of the main names discussed, with 60 games for Royal Antwerp at just 23-years-old. Which Profile of Goalkeeper Should Manchester United Go For? United are looking at goalkeepers because Onana suffered a hamstring injury in pre-season, and looks set to miss the first few matches of the new campaign. The Red Devils cannot afford another horror start. Therefore, they need to find a replacement, though only temporarily, as Onana will eventually return. This explains their two options: an experienced player who doesn’t mind no longer being a starter, or a youngster who hopes to one day break in. With the current state of the club and squad, an experienced head seems to be the smarter choice – someone who can contribute to the dressing room and off-the-pitch matters, whilst competently filling in on the pitch when needed. Meanwhile, a younger goalkeeper will likely cost more and may feel pressure when thrown into the deep end. Furthermore, if United are shooting for the top, there is no guarantee that someone like Lammens will eventually be at that level. It seems that they want to sign a star at some point, a Martinez, but perhaps that is not possible now. With Onana set to return early in the season, a seasoned player will work better as a stopgap.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
Packers rookie could miss time after suffering injury in training camp
The Green Bay Packers offense was dealt a bit of a blow early in training camp. Friday, third-round rookie wide receiver Savion Williams was a spectator for practice after suffering a concussion. Williams, chosen by the Packers with the No. 87 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is aiming to climb the depth chart at a crowded wide receiver position this summer. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, Williams ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.48 seconds during the NFL Combine and has the profile of potentially becoming a reliable possession receiver and after-the-catch weapon for quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense. Reaching those benchmarks and climbing the depth chart will have to wait, though, as Williams works his way through the concussion protocol and back onto the field for practices during training camp and the preseason this summer.
Sherrone Moore says Michigan will do away with controversial celebration
Michigan and Ohio State are sure to play another spirited game on the gridiron this season, but it sounds like there will be no flag planting afterward regardless of the outcome. Michigan won its fourth straight game against Ohio State last season, and the Wolverines' latest victory was the biggest upset the rivalry has seen in years. The eventual national champion Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 in the country when an unranked Michigan team went into Columbus and beat them, 13-10. A huge scrum broke out after the game when Michigan players stood on Ohio State's midfield logo and pretended to plant their flag in enemy territory. The brawl got so out of hand that stadium police wound up using pepper spray. While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said his players will not be partaking in any flag-planting activity going forward. "There will be no more flag planting. There will be no more grabbing the flag," Moore said. "We talked about our new tradition and what we do when we win a game is go beat the band, go sing our (fight song) and stay over there until the other team departs. That's how we'll operate — shake hands after the game, show sportsmanship, be cordial." While there has been no formal ban of flag planting, Ohio State coach Ryan Day also expressed opposition to the act after last year's incident. Ohio State and Michigan have one of the best rivalries in sports, so there is always going to be bad blood between the two programs. Moore and Day are doing what they can to make sure things don't get out of hand again the next time their teams meet.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
