EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The glitz and glamor that are a defining element of the Real Madrid experience were on full display at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, complete with the Club World Cup’s second-biggest crowd so far and a win over Borussia Dortmund to book a spot in the semifinals. The ease of a 2-0 win at the 90th minute devolved into sheer chaos in stoppage time with the scoreline 3-2 in Real Madrid’s favor by the final whistle, a red card to Dean Huijsen only adding to the drama. It was not only a bump in the road for the Club World Cup semifinalists, though – the stoppage time mess introduced a new set of lineup questions for manager Xabi Alonso, who was not exactly short of them when the match had a simpler scoreline.
Before stoppage time began, it seemed like Gonzalo Garcia was once again the star of Real Madrid’s show. The 21-year-old scored the game’s opening goal after just 10 minutes, adding a fourth goal to his stellar tally at the Club World Cup. He was not the only newcomer to leave his mark on the game, either, with 20-year-old Arda Guler notching the assist to Garcia’s goal and new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold recording an assist of his own 10 minutes later on Fran Garcia‘s goal. The opening goal offered a genuine glimpse at Real Madrid’s next generation of attackers, with Guler’s well-placed long ball and Gonzalo Garcia’s impressive flick in front of goal.
More than 80 minutes after Garcia left his mark on the match, though, Kylian Mbappe matched the 21-year-old’s output on Saturday with a goal of his own. It ended up becoming the game winner, coming up with a stunning flying kick that offered reminders of the quality that made him an obvious choice when Madrid signed him last year. It also introduced a new iteration of Real Madrid’s year-long conundrum about where exactly Kylian Mbappe fits into the picture.
Garcia may have started as a placeholder for a gastroenteritis-stricken Mbappe, but with Real Madrid just two games away from their first trophy since the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League, it is hard to envision new manager Xabi Alonso dropping the 21-year-old from the lineup. There is still a rawness to Alonso’s version of Real Madrid, who he hopes will resemble his high-intensity Bayer Leverkusen team, as well as some reminders of why the team needs to evolve after four successful but inconsistent years with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm. While imperfect was a feature, striking a balance became all the more difficult after Mbappe turned up. It is not a reflection of Mbappe’s quality – the 43 goals he has so far in a Madrid shirt would indicate otherwise – but with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo among Los Blancos’ attacking options, Ancelotti was unable to find the right fit for all three.
It meant that for many, Alonso’s primary task as Real Madrid’s new manager would be to find a way to make Mbappe’s natural place on the field, with the Club World Cup offering an early chance to find the answers. Alonso and Mbappe were unlucky with the player’s gastroenteritis diagnosis, which forced him to miss the group stage and even led Alonso to describe his ability to start on Saturday as a gameday decision. His 23-minute shift at MetLife Stadium, coupled with a similar outing in Tuesday’s round of 16 win over Juventus, indicates that Alonso may have to choose between Garcia and Mbappe when they face Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe’s former club, in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Alonso has not outright dismissed the idea of Garcia and Mbappe taking the field alongside Vinicius, but how exactly those three find a way to play together is a new headache for the latest Madrid manager. That is with the consideration that Rodrygo is likely on his way out, which should, in theory, make Alonso’s load lighter. Garcia’s performance is arguably a champagne problem, true to form for a team that is a constant representation of what soccer elitism looks like. A good problem, though, is still a problem. Finding ways to win, just as Madrid did on Saturday, is as strong a solution as any, but Mbappe’s part in those wins may define Alonso’s legacy at Real Madrid, even if it is still the early days of his tenure.