What Is Xabi Alonso's First Game as Manager of Real Madrid? | OneFootball

All eyes will be on Xabi Alonso when he manages his first game as the new Real Madrid manager.

Real Madrid parted ways with the legendary Carlo Ancelotti following an underwhelming season that ended without a major trophy. Los Blancos only managed to win the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup while Barcelona lifted a domestic treble and boasted four Clásico victories for the first time in history.

Alonso is the man taking over the Spanish giants. The 43-year-old left Bayer Leverkusen to return to Madrid, where he helped Los Blancos win six trophies, including La Décima, as a player.

The pressure is on Alonso to bring silverware back to Real Madrid, and the Spaniard will almost immediately have the opportunity to do so this summer.

What Is Xabi Alonso's First Game in Charge of Real Madrid?

Alonso will manage his first game for Real Madrid against Al Hilal on June 18. The Spaniard officially starts his three-year contract on June 1, giving him just over two weeks with his new team before their first match of this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

Real Madrid then take on CF Pachuca on June 22 and FC Salzburg on June 26 to close out the group stage. Alonso will be eager to impress, especially when all three matches all fall within the span of nine days.

The tournament as a whole will be the first test for Alonso at the helm of the biggest club in the world. After such a disappointing season, Real Madrid will be eager to lift a trophy and earn a large cut of the FIFA Club World Cup's record $1 billion prize pool.

It will not be easy for the Spaniard to get Real Madrid over the line in the United States, though. Although Los Blancos should have no trouble getting past their Group H competition, there are plenty of formidable opponents in the tournament, including Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.