Real Madrid edged through to reach the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain after a dramatic ending to the win over Borussia Dortmund saw an early 2-0 lead become a nail-biting 3-2 victory with the Germans pushing to the death. Gonzalo García and Fran García scored early in the first half, but three goals in injury time, from Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy either side of a Kylian Mbappé overhead kick, meant for a nervy finish to the win for Los Blancos.
Three answers
1. Who would start in attack?
The biggest question mark seemed to be a defining one. Carlo Ancelotti was often criticised for favouring the big names over meritocracy or giving opportunities to young players, and here Xabi Alonso was given the nightmare selection headache early on in his reign. Should he stick with the unproven youngster with three goals in the last four games? Or the fit again superstar who has yet to start in this tournament? The coach opted to stick with his guns and field Gonzalo García, who duly rewarded him only 10 minutes in with a close-range right footed-finish into the back of the net to give the Spanish side the lead. The option to bring Kylian Mbappé off the bench is the ultimate luxury, and his overhead kick goal showed that he will do all he can to catch the tournament’s joint-top scorer.
2. Would Arda Güler consolidate his role as a starter?
Any debate over selection choices in midfield seems to have been put to the back burner, and after another fine display from Arda Güler, that looks set to continue. “He’ll have some things to improve, but you improve by playing,” Xabi Alonso said of the Turkish international post-match, with no indication of Güler being anything but a key part of the new coach’s plans. His involvement in build-up play was solid and defensively he held his own, no-one surpassing his number of tackles in the game, but his pinpoint crossing provided assists for both Gonzalo and Mbappé. With Güler and Trent Alexander-Arnold down the right picking out precise passes like that into the box, there’s more of a direct threat than Real Madrid have had since Toni Kroos retired a year ago.
3. Would the MetLife Stadium pitch be an issue?
While playing surfaces have been one of the hot topics at this tournament, the MetLife Stadium’s brand new all grass field has been one of the most heavily criticised. “The pitch was dry. I don’t know who is the patron saint for rain but after it rained it then enabled us to play our game,” Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira said, while Porto coach Martin Alsemi agreed, saying, “I do feel like the pitch caused us to be a bit imprecise, particularly when we wanted to accelerate the game”. Here, it held out fairly well and appeared to be more wet than in the earlier games. With both semi-finals and the final set to be hold on the same surface in the next week, it remains to be seen how it will handle that intensity of action.
Three questions
1. What went wrong in injury time?
It looked like the result was done and dusted and the job was done when the fourth official’s board went up to show five minutes of injury time. Then Dortmund got their lucky break as Beier’s high-quality finish from the edge of the box pulled one back, but with Dean Huijsen later sent off after Mbappé extended the lead and a penalty conceded, only a fine Thibaut Courtois save at the death avoided the game being taken to extra-time. This was nothing new to those who have watched Real Madrid throw away their concentration in the final stages of a match due to pure complacency. To do so against Alavés in La Liga is one thing, but in a Club World Cup there is very little forgiveness for such lack of seriousness. Xabi Alonso saw some of the chunks in his team’s armour during those 10 minutes, and it may give him a chance to correct them when, fortunately for Real Madrid, there was enough of a buffer to reach the next round regardless.
2. Will Dean Huijsen’s suspension mean a change in system against PSG?
Dean Huijsen’s late red card was probably the first sign we’ve seen of his inexperience costing Real Madrid, given that it probably would’ve been more beneficial to simply allow Serhou Girassy a free run at goal than see himself sent off. The reason for that lies in that Xabi Alonso’s limited central defensive options may now force a change in shape. He could stick with a back three, but that would mean recalling Raúl Asencio, whose 10 minutes here saw Real Madrid concede twice, after being sent off and conceding a penalty in his two previous outings in this tournament. Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal are back fit, but neither has yet featured since long-term injury, and so a revert back to a flat back four, possibly with Aurélien Tchouameni alongside Antonio Rüdiger, looks a distinct possibility for the semi-final with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
3. Is Fran García the answer at left-back?
Fran García may stand out for his goal, his first since May 2024, but this performance was a very complete one from the 25 year old. He won a match-high four duels and created two chances down the left flank. Post-match, Xabi Alonso was full of praise for his left-back, saying that he “is having a fantastic tournament” before explaining that “he’s playing with top-notch concentration and intensity”. Alonso added, “I’m very happy for him; he’s a home-grown kid and has a top-notch attitude. He’s an example. I told him the other day… If he gets into the box, he can score goals”. With García the only option at left-back, he appears to have done enough to establish himself as first-choice, more naturally adept in the wing-back role even than Ferland Mendy when he returns from injury ahead of the start of the league season.
