Dani Garrido breaks down Madrid’s issues after Club World Cup exit
Following Real Madrid’s heavy 4–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals, the conversation around the team’s trajectory under Xabi Alonso has shifted. While the manager remains widely respected and supported, there’s a growing awareness that the challenges ahead are deeper and more complex than initially expected.
On Carrusel Deportivo, journalist Dani Garrido offered a candid evaluation of Madrid’s performance and where the team stands heading into the preseason.
Asked whether Real Madrid emerged from the tournament with any sense of clarity, Garrido didn’t hesitate to praise the club’s choice of manager—but also didn’t sugarcoat the situation:
“Xabi Alonso is a fantastic coach, and the club made the right call bringing him in. But the word ‘clarity’ cuts both ways: it can come from positive signs, or—as Xabi’s tone suggests—from lessons he won’t want to repeat.”
Garrido criticized Alonso for referring multiple times to the Club World Cup as not the first real title opportunity of the season. While perhaps intended to manage expectations, Garrido believes that stance didn’t sit well with fans expecting more from the competition.
Still, there were encouraging signs. As Garrido put it:
“Madridistas have reasons to see some green shoots: Huijsen is coming through, Güler has shown he can control the tempo and shine, Valverde looks in great form, and Gonzalo continues to impress. But the team still has old problems—no pressing, no intensity, and Vinicius still hasn’t quite found himself. Old problems and a few green shoots.”
The discussion since the defeat has often referred back to Madrid’s biggest stars: Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe. Their inability to contribute defensively is a key storyline. Garrido acknowledged it’s a delicate balance, but believes Xabi won’t shy away from tough calls:
“Xabi already had a strong personality as a player. He has very clear ideas and I think he’s well equipped to handle this. He won’t stay silent and he’ll make decisions. He did really well at Leverkusen, but this is Real Madrid. I think he’ll take us close to the line of the drastic—he’s capable of using a soft touch, but when needed, he’ll use the hard one.”
While fans have been fixated on whether Vini and Mbappe can lead the press, Garrido offered a broader, more sobering perspective:
“It’s obvious that the only problem at Real Madrid isn’t that Vini and Mbappé don’t press. We’ve seen some outrageous things at the back. It’s one of the ten or twelve problems this team has.”
There is plenty for Xabi Alonso to think about in the weeks ahead as he plans for his first full season as Real Madrid manager.
