Real Madrid`s appearance at MetLife Stadium on Saturday delivered the expected blend of spectacle and glamour. In front of the Club World Cup`s second-largest attendance thus far, they secured a place in the semifinals by overcoming Borussia Dortmund. What seemed like a straightforward 2-0 win at the 90-minute mark dramatically unraveled into sheer chaos during stoppage time, culminating in a 3-2 scoreline in Real Madrid`s favor by the final whistle, with a red card for Dean Huijsen only adding to the drama. Far from just a minor setback on their path to the semifinals, this chaotic finish significantly complicated manager Xabi Alonso`s selection decisions, which were already challenging even before the match took its wild turn.
Before the stoppage-time frenzy, Gonzalo Garcia seemed destined to be the game`s main talking point. The 21-year-old forward struck just 10 minutes in, netting the opening goal and taking his impressive Club World Cup tally to four. He wasn`t the sole young talent to make an impact; 20-year-old Arda Guler provided the assist for Garcia`s goal, and new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold set up Fran Garcia`s goal ten minutes later. The initial goal, in particular, offered a genuine preview of Real Madrid`s promising next generation of attackers, featuring Guler`s perfectly weighted long pass and Gonzalo Garcia`s skillful flick finish.
However, over 80 minutes after Garcia`s opener, Kylian Mbappe equaled the 21-year-old`s scoring contribution on the day with a goal of his own. This stunning flying kick proved to be the match-winner, a potent reminder of the quality that made him an obvious target when Madrid signed him last year. His goal also reignited the persistent puzzle Real Madrid has faced for the past year regarding Kylian Mbappe`s optimal role within the team.
While Garcia may have initially filled in due to Mbappe`s bout of gastroenteritis, with Real Madrid now just two matches away from potentially lifting their first trophy since the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League, it`s difficult to envision the new manager, Xabi Alonso, dropping the 21-year-old from the starting lineup. Alonso`s iteration of Real Madrid still displays moments of imperfection – though he aims to replicate the high-intensity style of his successful Bayer Leverkusen side. There are also lingering reminders of the need for evolution after four years under Carlo Ancelotti that, while successful at times, were marked by inconsistency. Striking a tactical balance became especially challenging after Mbappe joined the squad. This isn`t a reflection on Mbappe`s individual brilliance – his 43 goals in a Madrid shirt certainly prove his effectiveness – but with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo already key attackers, Ancelotti struggled to find a setup that ideally accommodated all three.
Many observers believed Alonso`s primary task upon taking the helm would be to find the best way to integrate Mbappe, and the Club World Cup offered an early opportunity for experimentation. Unluckily for both Alonso and Mbappe, the forward`s illness forced him out of the group stage and led Alonso to deem his Saturday availability a game-day decision. His brief 23-minute appearance against Dortmund, coupled with a similar limited outing in Tuesday`s round of 16 win over Juventus, suggests that Alonso might face a difficult choice between starting Garcia and Mbappe for Wednesday`s critical semifinal clash against Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe`s former club.
Although Alonso hasn`t explicitly ruled out the possibility of fielding Garcia, Mbappe, and Vinicius together, determining how this dynamic trio can coexist effectively presents a new headache for the latest Madrid manager. The potential departure of Rodrygo might theoretically alleviate this challenge slightly. Garcia`s impressive form could be viewed as a `champagne problem` – a positive dilemma typical of a club that embodies footballing elitism. However, a beneficial problem is still a problem that needs solving. Finding ways to win matches, as Madrid did on Saturday, remains a strong strategy, but the degree to which Mbappe plays a central role in securing those victories may ultimately shape Alonso`s legacy at Real Madrid, even in these early stages of his tenure.
Dominic Ashworth