Xabi Alonso’s immediate setback at Real Madrid ahead of FIFA Club World Cup | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso is set to take charge of Real Madrid next week, but his first challenge at the helm is already shaping up to be a complex one.

With the FIFA Club World Cup kicking off on June 13, Alonso inherits not only a team full of talent but also a squad riddled with absentees, fitness concerns, and limited time to prepare.

According to the report, three players are already ruled out of the tournament entirely, namely, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, and Endrick.

All three are sidelined with injuries that will keep them out until the start of the 2025–26 pre-season, meaning Alonso won’t be able to count on them for what could be a significant early test of his tenure.

There is much more

Worse still, Real Madrid’s defence remains a major problem area. Although Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba are expected to travel with the squad, they will do so with minimal match fitness.

Each has suffered respective injury setbacks, and while their presence will be a morale boost, their lack of rhythm means Alonso cannot rely on them as starters, especially in the crucial early games that determine qualification for the next round.

Endrick is ruled out of FIFA Club World Cup. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

This defensive instability is an unwanted inheritance from Carlo Ancelotti’s final season in charge, a campaign plagued by injuries in the back line.

To help ease the burden, Real Madrid’s recent signing Dean Huijsen may play a critical role in central defence, alongside academy graduate Raul Asencio and the versatile Aurelien Tchouameni, who may be required to fill in if needed.

What about their attack?

On the attacking front, there is better news. Both Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. will recover from injuries and are expected to be fit for the tournament. However, Alonso will still face another major hurdle.

Almost as soon as he takes over, many of his key players will depart to represent their national teams in early June, leaving him with little time to work with the full squad.

That list includes high-usage players like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappeé, Federico Valverde, Asensio, and even Thibaut Courtois. These players will arrive with heavy legs after a long season and international commitments.

Alonso will have to manage their fatigue while instilling his own tactical ideas, which, notably, differ significantly from the style deployed by his predecessor.

With limited training sessions, a short squad, and key players both exhausted and unfamiliar with his system, Alonso will need to act fast.