Real Madrid vs Al Hilal

Real Madrid will usher in the Xabi Alonso era with their Club World Cup match against Saudi Pro League’s Al-Hilal on Wednesday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Al-Hilal, now led by Simone Inzaghi, who recently parted ways with Inter Milan, also enters the tournament with fresh leadership.

Despite securing the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup, Real Madrid’s 2024-25 season was deemed a disappointment after falling short to Barcelona in La Liga, the Copa del Rey final, and the Spanish Super Cup final.

Carlo Ancelotti, the veteran manager, stepped down a year early from his contract after the lackluster season to take charge of Brazil’s national team.

Alonso, aged 43, was quickly named Ancelotti’s replacement, leaving his triumphant role at Bayer Leverkusen to return to Real Madrid, where he played 236 matches and won titles, including La Liga and the Champions League.

His squad has been bolstered by new signings Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Franco Mastantuono, though Mastantuono will join post-tournament.

Alonso has an immediate opportunity to claim silverware, with Real Madrid aiming for their sixth Club World Cup title, having won in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022.

As strong favorites in Group H, Real Madrid will face Al-Hilal first, followed by Mexico’s Pachuca and Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg.

Inzaghi, who recently managed Inter Milan during a 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, left the Italian club by mutual agreement after a four-year spell that included a Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and two Italian Super Cups.

Appointed Al-Hilal’s manager the day after his Inter exit, Inzaghi inherits a team that finished second in the Saudi Pro League, 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad.

His primary goal is to recapture the Saudi Pro League title in 2025-26, but first, he must navigate Al-Hilal through a challenging Club World Cup group stage, starting with a daunting match against the 15-time European champions.

Though underdogs, Al-Hilal could pose a threat to Real Madrid’s defense, having scored 95 goals in 34 games to lead the Saudi Pro League in scoring last season.

They may draw confidence from their spirited performance in the 2022 Club World Cup final, where they scored three goals in a 5-3 loss to Real Madrid in Morocco.