Preview for Real Madrid v Al Hilal

Real Madrid will enter a new era tomorrow when Xabi Alonso takes charge of the team for the first time.

The former Madrid midfielder succeeded Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season and has already started to stamp his mark on the side. Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold have joined from Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively while River Plate teenager Franco Mastantuono will move to the Santiago Bernabeu after the Club World Cup.

There was a feeling that Madrid were physically overmatched at times last season – particularly against old foes Barcelona, who won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Supercopa – and it is expected another midfielder will arrive to replace the departing Luka Modric.

In the meantime, Alonso has to deal with the pressure of leading Madrid into a major tournament with minimal time to get his ideas across and knowing first impressions count both in the dressing room and in the media.

It won’t be straightforward but he is up or the challenge.

On arriving in the US, he said: “It’s been very positive. You get to know [the players] little by little, having that contact, that’s very necessary. And more players are arriving.

“Everything has been sped up a lot, because we have very little time to get to know each other. Today we arrived, and we’ll start to make a team. We have three training sessions before the [Al Hilal] match, but we’re excited to be here, to have a good tournament, and to go all the way to the end.”

Prediction for Real Madrid v Al Hilal

While it may take Madrid time to gel fully under Alonso, there ought to be enough in the team to see off the Saudi side, despite the talent of Ruben Neves, Malcolm and Sergej Milinković-Savić.

It won’t always be fluid but we’re going for the Spanish giants to open their campaign with a win.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Al Hilal