Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso assessed his team's second-half reaction as positive after they drew 1-1 against Al Hilal in their 2025 Club World Cup Group H match.
"The second half was much better than the first. In the first half we were lacking in many aspects, both with and without the ball. We lost the ball too quickly and couldn't find balance," Alonso told Real's website on Thursday.
"I was pleased with the reaction of the players at half-time. We gave a new look, changed the rhythm of the game a little bit and found players who could dictate the tempo and control the game. That helped us create chances," he continued.
Real took the lead through Gonzalo Garcia in the 34th minute. Al Hilal equalized through Ruben Neves' penalty in the 41st minute.
Alonso cited the hot weather and lack of preparation as challenges. Los Blancos have only trained together three times in the last nine days.
“We know we have to get results, but we also want to learn and understand the identity of this team,” he added.
