Real Madrid are in need of a bounce back against Pachuca to secure their first victory of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The La Liga runners-up had to settle for a point in Xabi Alonso’s debut on the touchline. Los Blancos only managed a 1–1 draw against Al Hilal in which Real Madrid Castilla product Gonzalo García bagged the team’s lone goal.
The performance left plenty to be desired across all areas on the pitch. Trent Alexander-Arnold had a debut to forget, Fede Valverde missed what would have been the game-winning penalty and Vinícius Júnior failed to impact the game without Kylian Mbappé, who is once again expected to miss out after being hospitalized for gastroenteritis.
Along with Mbappé, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick, Ferland Mendy, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal all remain unavailable. The door is open for Dean Huijsen, Alexander-Arnold and maybe even Arda Güler to solidify their place in Alonso’s XI, but they will have to impress against Pachuca.
Here’s what Real Madrid’s XI could look like against the Liga MX side on June 22.
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