Real Madrid's 'rebirth'

Cuộc 'tái sinh' của Real Madrid - Ảnh 1. — Young center-back Asencio is likely to partner with Huijsen in central defense for the opening match - Photo: REUTERS

No European team has as much experience facing opponents from other continents as Real Madrid.

Al Hilal - the first hurdle

It's a well-known fact that Real Madrid dominates Europe in the Champions League, regularly participating in the tournament. Specifically, Real Madrid has won the FIFA Club World Cup five times since its inception in 2000. They also won the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in 2024 – a tournament created as a stepping stone for the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Al Hilal is a strong team. While not chasing superstars like Ronaldo or Benzema, Al Hilal has built a truly quality squad with slightly less well-known players. Even so, they still maintain top form. There's Ruben Neves – only 28 years old this year; Mitrovic – a striker who played even better than Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia; and Joao Cancelo – who not long ago played for top European clubs…

It's no exaggeration to say that Al Hilal is a team strong enough to participate in the Champions League and compete on equal footing with most of the big clubs. They will be the first obstacle for Real Madrid to begin their resurgence.

Introducing 3 new stars.

The FIFA Club World Cup starts just half a month after the 2024-2025 European season concludes. But President Florentino Perez and his team have almost completed a major overhaul. Coach Ancelotti and aging key players like Modric and Lucas Vazquez are leaving (and possibly Alaba as well).

And young superstars immediately filled the void. These included Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, and Mastantuono – a midfielder who was only 17 years old from River Plate but cost Real Madrid a staggering €45 million in transfer fees.

Mastantuono will only arrive at Bernabeu after the tournament. He was still playing for River Plate in the US this summer. But that doesn't matter. The 17-year-old midfielder is certainly a valuable asset for the future, similar to Endrick in the forward line. Real Madrid arrived at the FIFA Club World Cup with the intention of debuting three stars: Arnold, Huijsen, and coach Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid have changed managers seven times in the last 10 years. But this one is the most promising, and has received the most media attention, almost comparable to when they appointed Jose Mourinho in 2010.

Xabi Alonso made an even stronger impact than Zinedine Zidane, who only took over in January 2016 after Benitez was sacked. Alonso was different. Real Madrid spent a full year convincing him, and the former Spanish star enjoyed three fantastic years at Leverkusen.

The Renaissance period began.

All Real Madrid fans must admit the truth: Real Madrid has been too hesitant with its restructuring plan. The excellence and consistency of the old "guards" like Kroos, Modric, Carvajal, and Rudiger have caused Real Madrid to delay buying players for the defense for too long.

For about three consecutive summers, Real Madrid focused solely on attacking, leaving their defense constantly in a state of disarray. Ancelotti is perhaps the most resourceful coach in the world , but everything has its limits.

The four shocking defeats against Barca this season were the moment that made President Perez determined, as Real Madrid's aging squad had reached its peak. Therefore, Barca's younger generation had an even greater opportunity to make a strong breakthrough.

Barcelona are not participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, but a host of powerful, diverse, and determined attacking lines are waiting to test the strength of the reigning champions.

Normally, defenders need to wait a while to truly secure a starting spot at a new club. But Real Madrid isn't that patient right now, as the FIFA Club World Cup is the first step in their "rebirth" journey.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cuoc-tai-sinh-cua-real-madrid-20250618082734357.htm