Alonso starts work as Madrid step up CWC prep

Xabi Alonso completed his archetypal grooming league arsenic manager of Real Madrid connected Monday aft being reminded by nine president Florentino Pérez of the value of the upcoming Club World Cup.

The erstwhile Bayer Leverkusen coach, who succeeded Carlo Ancelotti past month, got to enactment astatine Madrid's grooming crushed successful Valdebebas with lone five-first squad players available.

With immoderate connected planetary work and others retired injured, numbers were supplemented with 10 reserve players.

Madrid lone person 4 much grooming sessions earlier they question to the United States connected Saturday.

💼 First time astatine the office!
📋 @XabiAlonso pic.twitter.com/uHJVtkCMqJ

With Madrid having failed to triumph a large trophy for the archetypal clip since 2021 this season, Pérez has precocious hopes that his nine tin triumph the Club World Cup.

Speaking to nine members connected Sunday, the Madrid main said: "You cognize that successful this nine we ever privation more. And present we are excited to instrumentality connected the Club World Cup, which volition beryllium held successful the United States.

"I americium convinced that our players volition springiness their each to triumph what would beryllium the 3rd rubric [after the European Supercup and Intercontinental Cup] of the season."

Alonso's archetypal crippled successful complaint volition beryllium against Saudi Pro League nine Al Hilal successful Miami, Florida, connected June 18. Madrid volition besides instrumentality connected Mexican broadside Pachuca and RB Salzburg successful the radical stages.

Madrid person strengthened their squad up of the lawsuit by signing centre-back Dean Huijsen and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, and they are besides moving connected a woody for Benfica left-back Álvaro Carreras.

However, Carreras has travelled with Benfica to the United States for the tourney and is not expected to articulation the LaLiga broadside earlier Tuesday, erstwhile the peculiar transportation model closes.