The era of Xabi Alonso at the helm of Real Madrid kicked off in an atmosphere of uncertainty and challenges. In his first training session, the Basque coach had to deal with the absence of numerous key players, as eight internationals are currently competing with their national teams and several others are in recovery from injuries.
With only five first-team players available for the session, Alonso was forced to turn to the youth academy, where several young talents are seizing the opportunity to prove their worth. Among those who joined the training were Fran González, Mestre, Fortea, Jacobo Ramón, Aguado, Chema, Víctor Muñoz, and Gonzalo, who could play an important role in the upcoming Club World Cup.
The situation in the infirmary seems to be improving, as Militao, Carvajal, Brahim, Alaba, and Courtois managed to participate in part of the training. The club has confirmed that the Belgian goalkeeper and Brahim will be ready for the tournament, while Carvajal and Militao are also expected to join the team soon.
However, the list of absentees remains concerning. Rüdiger, Mendy, Camavinga, and Endrick continue to work on the sidelines, and their participation in the World Cup seems unlikely. On the other hand, Valverde, who has been unable to join the Uruguayan national team, is training in the gym and is expected to be available for the tournament.
Real Madrid is scheduled to travel to the United States on June 14, where they will debut against Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia on June 18 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. With a season full of challenges ahead, the pressure on Xabi Alonso is palpable, and fans hope his leadership can guide the team to success in the Club World Cup.