Tag: Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso is looking forward to “starting from scratch” with Real Madrid next season after being thrown in at the deep end as coach of the Spanish giants in the Club World Cup.

Alonso was given a reality check on Wednesday as Madrid were eliminated 4-0 by European champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the semi-final at the MetLife Stadium.

“PSG are a team who have been built over time, whereas we are practically just beginning,” Alonso said after seeing Real Madrid go two goals behind inside nine minutes.

It was 3-0 before half-time, and PSG added a late fourth as they advanced to Sunday’s final against Chelsea.

“We have lots of room for improvement. There are many things that we want to do better,” Alonso added.

“We have to be self-critical. This will tell us things for the future that will help us to compete at a much better level than we did today.”

Xabi Alonso was appointed at the end of May, taking over from Carlo Ancelotti after a successful two-and-a-half years at Bayer Leverkusen.

Real Madrid finished as runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and went out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Arsenal.

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The Basque technician, a former Madrid player, would have preferred a full pre-season with his squad before being thrust into competitive action, and it was always going to be a big ask for them to beat PSG’s well-oiled machine.

“They are at a very high level and have been since the start of the knockout phase of the Champions League,” Xabi Alonso said.

“They have shown it again here and we have to accept it — we are just beginning, learning things about where we want to go and how we are going to get there.”

Real eased into the knockout phase of the Club World Cup despite being held by Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in their opening game.

They then recorded narrow wins over Juventus and Borussia Dortmund prior to Wednesday’s defeat.

Alonso’s La Liga debut as Real coach is scheduled to be on Tuesday, August 19, at home to Osasuna.

Attempts to have the fixture postponed have so far been unsuccessful, meaning there are fewer than six weeks for the players to have a break and then embark on a full pre-season with their new coach.

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Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea.

Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York.

The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time, and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique’s side moved one game away from glory at FIFA’s new tournament.

Victory against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May.

After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid, and the ease with which they disposed of Real was striking.

PSG’s fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso.

“We were not good enough today,” said Alonso. “We are not the first ones to lose to them, but we have a lot of different things to improve.”

Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club last year.

The defeat is a real blow to Real Madrid as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups.

PSG were without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, but that did not matter.

Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG’s first-choice line-up was there.

Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow.

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The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place.

But the Spanish giants’ front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG’s domination.

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range.

Yet, Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real Madrid keeper saved at the forward’s feet, but Ruiz converted the loose ball.

Three minutes later, the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner.

Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time in the Club World Cup after being injured. That was a 35th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d’Or.

It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half.

A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their net a minute later.

Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right, and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed early in the second half.

But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender.

PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in.

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Nine-man Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) set up a Club World Cup semi-final clash against their former superstar striker Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid with a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday in Atlanta.

Los Blancos squeezed out Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in New Jersey in the day’s other Club World Cup quarter-final clash, with Mbappe on the scoresheet for the first time at the tournament.

Luis Enrique’s PSG needed to dig deep in front of 67,000 fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez.

The French side won the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history in May, despite their key player Mbappe departing for Real last year.

Young forward Desire Doue, who shone on PSG’s road to European glory, and Ballon d’Or candidate Ousmane Dembele got the goals in the second half of an enthralling clash against Vincent Kompany’s Bayern, who had two strikes ruled out for offside.

PSG also lost playmaker Jamal Musiala in vital Club World Cup clash to a horror ankle injury just before half-time, which Kompany said made his “blood boil” because of how unfortunate it is for the 22-year-old.

“After the first red card it became complicated, then with two players less it was a bit of a lottery,” said a relieved Luis Enrique.

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his Bayern counterpart Manuel Neuer both made several excellent saves in a pulsating battle at the air-conditioned, covered venue which allowed both sides’ high-pressing, attacking approaches to shine.

Players and spectators at both matches observed a minute of silence in honour of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car crash on Thursday.

PSG’s clash with Bayern was FIFA’s expanded tournament’s biggest heavyweight clash thus far and the game delivered, even if fans had to wait until the 78th minute for the opener.

After Harry Kane gave the ball away, PSG surged forward and 20-year-old Doue fashioned some space on the edge of the box before flashing a low strike home at the near post.

Bayern were given hope as they hunted for an equaliser when PSG defender Pacho was sent off for a high tackle on Leon Goretzka after 83 minutes.

Kane had a goal disallowed for offside, like Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano in the first half, and after Hernandez was dismissed for an elbow Dembele tucked home the second in stoppage time, paying tribute to Jota by copying his video-gaming celebration.

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“In the first half we showed them who we are and they had problems with us,” said Bayern substitute Thomas Mueller, who played his last game for the club.

Real Madrid cruised for the most part against Dortmund before a flurry of goals at the end left them in danger of losing their lead.

Xabi Alonso, unbeaten at the helm, shifted back to a four-man defence against Niko Kovac’s side, shorn of suspended Jobe Bellingham, who would have loved to face his older brother, Madrid’s Jude.

The coach decided to leave Mbappe, who missed the three group games after a stomach bug, on the bench and persist with Gonzalo Garcia up front.

The 21-year-old striker paid back Alonso for his confidence by grabbing his fourth goal of the tournament after 10 minutes with a close-range finish from Arda Guler’s cross.

In the 20th minute Fran Garcia doubled Los Blancos’ lead, rushing into the box to polish off Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dangerous ball across the face of goal.

Madrid were cruising to victory until Max Beier drilled home in stoppage time.

Real responded, with substitute Mbappe netting his 44th goal of the season with an acrobatic finish from another Guler cross.

He paid tribute to the late Jota by making the number 20 with his hands, the Portuguese striker’s shirt number at Liverpool.

Real Madrid were not home and dry. Dean Huijsen was sent off for tugging back Serhou Guirassy as he ran through, and the Guinea international netted from the spot, but Borussia Dortmund had no time to equalise.

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Spanish giants Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 to set up a Club World Cup quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund, who edged Mexican side Monterrey.

Serhou Guirassy struck twice for the German outfit as they scraped past Sergio Ramos’s side 2-1 in a tight last-16 clash in Atlanta and denied the former Real Madrid skipper a match-up against his former team.

Youngster Gonzalo Garcia headed home his third goal of the tournament to help Madrid edge Italian side Juventus at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami earlier.

It was an impressive display from Xabi Alonso’s Madrid side, unbeaten under the new coach, and they were further boosted by Kylian Mbappe’s return from illness as a substitute.

“We had a lot of chances in the second half, but their goalkeeper was really good,” said Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois.

The first half was a finely-balanced contest with Igor Tudor’s Juventus starting brightly before Real ended it on top.

Los Blancos kept turning the screw and found their goal when Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed for Gonzalo to head home after 54 minutes.

Alonso decided to introduce Mbappe to the delight of the 62,149 crowd but the striker did not find any clear openings as Juve pushed for an equaliser.

Madrid’s coach was pleased with his team’s performance, including that of Gonzalo — who he had compared to former Real great Raul — but also suggested that Mbappe might be ready for a bigger contribution in the next game.

“We will keep watching him… I think he will be much better for the quarters,” Alonso said.

Alonso added that he was satisfied to see Real produce the necessary grit to grind out the result in the second half.

“We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game,” said the coach.

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“With the players and myself, you know you have to grit your teeth and do what you have to do. And in the end, we had to hold on a bit, and I’m happy about that too.”

Juve boss Tudor said his team became exhausted as the game developed.

“In the end there were 10 of them asking to be substituted. Obviously you can’t do that but there was an incredible tiredness,” he said, offering his reasons.

“There is the tension of the game which burns energy but then there is the heat and humidity,” explained Tudor, also noting they were at the end of a long season.

In Atlanta, Guirassy’s brace was enough to help Dortmund past Monterrey in a hard-fought clash in the Club World Cup, setting them up to play a Madrid side who beat them in the 2024 Champions League final.

Guirassy netted a first-half double but German Berterame pulled one back for the Mexican side who came close to an equaliser when a late Ramos header span just wide.

After grinding through several games in the blazing afternoon sun during the group stage, Dortmund were grateful to be at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium and played at a faster pace in Atlanta.

Karim Adeyemi set up both of Guirassy’s goals as the Guinea international reached 37 for the season across all competitions.

A booking for Jobe Bellingham means he will be suspended for the clash against his brother Jude’s Real Madrid side.

However Dortmund almost missed out entirely as Monterrey hit back in the second half, but after Berterame headed home to reduce the gap, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made several good saves to keep them at bay.

Ramos, sent up front for the final stages, put a header agonisingly wide in stoppage time as he tried to deliver on his penchant for late, decisive moments, like in Madrid’s 2014 Champions League final triumph.

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Vinicius Junior scored one goal and made another with a touch of class as Real Madrid sealed their place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup with a 3-0 win over Salzburg on Thursday.

The Brazil star opened the scoring after a superb defence-splitting pass by Jude Bellingham on 40 minutes and then set up Federico Valverde for the all-important second goal in first-half stoppage time.

Gonzalo Garcia wrapped up the win late on with his second goal of the tournament, and the result means Xabi Alonso’s team end the first round of FIFA’s new tournament unbeaten.

They go through to the knockout stage as Group H winners on seven points, setting up a last-16 tie against Juventus in Miami on Tuesday.

Salzburg go out as Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia progress in second place behind Real after defeating already eliminated Pachuca of Mexico 2-0 in Nashville.

They will face Manchester City in the last 16.

Real Madrid are adjusting in the United States to life under new coach Alonso and were again without top scorer Kylian Mbappe, with the Frenchman thus far not having played at the Club World Cup as he recovers from illness.

But there was still plenty of star appeal for the 64,811 fans who filled Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia almost to capacity; they reserved their loudest cheers for Bellingham, and spirits were not dampened by wet, fresh conditions as the blistering heatwave of recent days suddenly lifted.

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Alonso opted, as during his time in charge of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, for a back three with Aurelien Tchouameni in between Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fran Garcia played as wing-backs.

Real Madrid won 5-1 when the teams met in the Champions League in January, with Vinicius scoring twice, and the Brazilian was again heavily involved in putting the Austrian team to the sword here.

He was denied by goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky when clean through on 20 minutes, but made up for that by getting the breakthrough as the interval approached.

The goal owed much to a fantastic pass by Bellingham, which found Vinicius in between the two Salzburg centre-backs. He held off two chasing defenders and scored with an early left-foot shot low into the corner.

It was the 22nd goal of the season in all competitions and one that delighted those backing Real in the crowd.

Petar Ratkov had a chance for Salzburg after Arda Guler was dispossessed just outside his own area, but Real scored again to make it 2-0 almost on the half-time whistle.

When a rather aimless pass forward by Guler was deflected by Salzburg’s Mamady Diambou, Vinicius pounced on the loose ball and continued into the area before producing a clever back-heel to set up Valverde for the goal.

Salzburg now needed a favour from Al Hilal to stay in the competition, although they did continue to make a fight of it and had chances to reduce the deficit in the second half.

Nevertheless, they were picked off on the counter as Madrid got their third with six minutes of the 90 remaining.

A ball forward by Alexander-Arnold should have been cut out by Joane Gadou, but the young defender’s touch was intercepted by Gonzalo Garcia, and the young forward ran through before clipping a shot beyond the goalkeeper.

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Kylian Mbappe has been left out of the Real Madrid squad for Thursday’s final Club World Cup group game against Red Bull Salzburg, despite returning to training following illness.

The French superstar did not feature in the list of 23 players named by coach Xabi Alonso and published by the club for the match in Philadelphia, in which the two teams are targeting a place in the last 16.

Mbappe had returned to training on Wednesday after missing Real’s first two matches at the tournament in the United States due to illness.

He was taken to the hospital last Thursday for tests and treatment after suffering gastroenteritis, before later being released.

He played no part in Real’s opening game, a 1-1 draw with Saudi side Al-Hilal in Miami, or the 3-1 defeat of Mexico’s Pachuca at the weekend.

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Alonso did indicate after the latter game that Mbappe was on the mend, saying: “He is doing better, he is recovering.”

Real Madrid posted images of Kylian Mbappe in training on Wednesday on their website, as the squad worked out at their Florida base before travelling north in the afternoon to Philadelphia.

It is there, at Lincoln Financial Field, where Madrid will take on the Austrians in their final Group H match and will be looking for a victory which will confirm their progress to the last 16 in first place in the section.

A draw can also take them through to the next round, with Manchester City and Juventus the possible opponents in the last 16.

Mbappe has scored 43 goals in 56 appearances since joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last year. His last game was for France in a 2-0 win away to Germany in the UEFA Nations League on June 8.

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Ill Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe did not travel to Charlotte for the team’s Club World Cup match against Pachuca, but could be back for the final group stage game, coach Xabi Alonso said on Saturday.

The French superstar was taken to hospital on Thursday for tests and treatment after suffering gastroenteritis, before later being released.

Kylian Mbappe is improving “bit by bit” a club source told AFP, but he did not fly with his team-mates for Sunday’s match against Mexican side Pachuca.

Real coach Xabi Alonso addressed the striker’s condition during his pre-match press conference.

“He’s doing better, he’s back from the hospital and is recovering. We’re optimistic about having him against Salzburg,” he said.

Madrid face Salzburg in the final game of Group H on Thursday in Philadelphia.

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Kylian Mbappe missed the opening game with the same illness as Madrid were held 1-1 by Al-Hilal in Xabi Alonso’s debut as coach.

Madrid B-team player Gonzalo Garcia, 21, started in Mbappe’s stead and opened the scoring for Real Madrid against their Saudi Arabian opponents.

Alonso indicated that Gonzalo would again deputise for the Frenchman.

“Gonzalo can do what he did the other day. He scored a goal and had three chances. Looking ahead, we’ll see what happens. Having players with that sense of smell is very important. He did very well,” he said.

Mbappe finished as the European Golden Shoe winner in his first season at Real Madrid with 31 goals in La Liga and 43 across all competitions, but Los Blancos finished the season without a major trophy.

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Federico Valverde missed a stoppage-time penalty as Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup on Wednesday.

A large contingent of Real fans in a crowd of 62,415 at the Hard Rock Stadium were left frustrated after new manager Xabi Alonso’s first game in charge ended with the points shared.

For the Saudi club, with Italian Simone Inzaghi also making his debut on the bench, it was an impressive performance where they caused Real’s defence plenty of problems before securing a hugely encouraging surprise result.

Al-Hilal started off in effervescent fashion and went close in the 19th minute when Salem Aldawsari volleyed back into the box and Marcos Leonardo’s effort flew just wide.

Renan Lodi had the ball in the net for the Saudi side, but the effort was ruled out for offside from another dangerous break. Aldawsari showed his pace but dragged his shot just wide.

Real Madrid gradually gained more control over the game, and Rodrygo went close in the 31st minute when he cut in from the right and his left-foot effort zipped just over the bar.

But Real’s quality was starting to shine through, and they grabbed the lead in the 34th minute.

Gonzalo, starting in place of the absent Kylian Mbappe, started the break from deep, and a clever exchange of passes concluded with Rodrygo drilling a low ball into the box where Gonzalo, who had continued his run, provided a delicate finish.

It was a classic counter-attacking goal, but it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Saudi side, who continued to press forward with energy.

Four minutes before the break, they drew level when Raul Asencio was ruled to have pulled down Marcos Leonardo, and Portugal international Ruben Neves calmly tucked away the penalty.

The dangerous Aldawsari, who scored the winner for Saudi Arabia in their upset win over Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar, threatened again just before the break.

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But Real Madrid came out strongly after the interval with Arda Guler introduced at the break rattling the bar with a volley from a Vinicius Jr. cross.

Moments later, Gonzalo brought a fine save out of Yassine Bounou with a firm header from a Vinicius cross and then Valverde flashed a shot wide from 25 yards out.

Having survived that storm from Real, Al-Hilal began to creep back into the game and ask some questions again of the Real defence, with Marcos Leonardo failing to make the most of two good opportunities.

But with three minutes of normal time remaining, Real were handed the chance to take all three points when Mohammed Al Qahtani was ruled to have put his hand in the face of Fran Garcia as he tried to hold off the challenge of the Real left-back.

But Valverde’s shot was saved by the diving Bounou to give the Saudi team a point after a hugely creditable performance.

“It was a good match for my team. They played very well. We played an excellent, organised team game. Together, we stood up to Real Madrid, which I think is one of the three strongest teams in the world. I am very satisfied,” said Inzaghi.

“In short, I couldn’t have asked for more. I was confident. I said yesterday that I had seen the team working well, but a performance like this, also thinking about what is to come, makes me very happy as a coach,” he added.

Alonso was pleased with the way his team had reacted after a poor opening 45 minutes.

“In the first half, we were lacking a lot of things, with and without the ball. I think we lost the ball too quickly, we didn’t have much balance, and these are things we had talked about, and it took us a little longer to get right,” he said.

“I liked the reaction at half-time, we were able to give the game another meaning, another rhythm, have more people giving it a good pause, good control of the game.

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Real Madrid could be without striker Kylian Mbappe for their Club World Cup opener against Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal after the Frenchman missed training due to illness.

New head coach Xabi Alonso will make his debut on the Real bench for the Group H match at Hard Rock Stadium and could be without several regulars.

Defender Antonio Rudiger and the versatile Eduardo Camavinga are also likely to miss out against the Saudi team.

“Kylian Mbappe was feeling a little better this morning, but not enough. It’s very hot and it was better that he didn’t train. But we will wait until the last moment. Tomorrow morning we will decide,” said Alonso.

“Rudiger made a brutal effort this season, and I don’t know if he will be called up tomorrow, but he is progressing well and will be the first to return. Camavinga is also improving quickly, but he needs time,” he added.

Al Hilal will also have a new coach on the bench with Italian Simone Inzaghi having joined after leading Inter Milan to the Champions League final.

Alonso said the change of coach means that it is difficult to know what to expect from Wednesday’s opponents.

“We have to prepare for the game in the best possible way. They will be a tough opponent, without a doubt. But it’s time to focus on ourselves. They haven’t made their debut with Inzaghi yet, so we don’t know how they will play.

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“We have to have hunger to win, to compete, to want to play well. We have to mix a lot of things, but that self-love, that feeling of team, that defending the badge… The team already has it, but we have to work on it. We must be a team,” he said.

Alonso was asked about the right-back position where Dani Carvajal faces competition from new arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has joined from Liverpool.

“It is a privilege to have such top players. Trent is more flexible in positions, but Carva has a lot of personality and competitiveness. The initial impact of Trent has been very good.”

Alonso was quizzed for his opinions on several players and, unsurprisingly, was upbeat about his squad, suggesting that England’s Jude Bellingham may be more effective in a central midfield role than in the more advanced position he has sometimes operated in.

“Jude has the ability to cover a lot of the pitch. He has the soul of a midfielder, he likes to participate, but he has the great quality to arrive. The important thing is the starting point. Finding him in the right places is going to help us because he has impressive qualities,” he said.

Alonso will get a brief spell to enjoy working with Croatian midfielder Luka Modric before the 39-year-old leaves the club.

“It’s easy with him. We always had a great relationship, friends and now coach-player. I like his relationship with the younger ones; he is a very good influence. We want to enjoy him in these weeks. He’s a player of the era, being able to squeeze him a little more will be a luxury,” he said.

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Real Madrid have signed defender Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool on a deal until 2031, the Spanish giants said on Friday.

The 26-year-old England international’s contract at Anfield was drawing to an end, but Madrid paid a fee to bring him in earlier so he could play in the Club World Cup.

Right-back Alexander-Arnold, who has just won the Premier League title with Liverpool, came through the academy of his boyhood club and won the Champions League in 2019.

He also won the Premier League in 2020 and made 352 appearances for the club.

The defender joins former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, with the Spaniard appointed as their new coach to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

Alexander-Arnold’s close connections to Liverpool meant that his announcement that he was leaving the club was viewed with disgust by some supporters, and he was booed in the penultimate match of the season.

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But after club figures, including former manager Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah, urged fans to remember the contribution he has made to Liverpool’s success over the last six years, he was roundly cheered when he lifted the Premier League trophy at Anfield last Sunday.

The defender joins a Real Madrid side which failed to win a major trophy this season.

Alexander-Arnold has been criticised for his defensive concentration at times, but brings supreme passing vision and attacking edge down the right flank.

Real Madrid have struggled at right-back this season with Dani Carvajal recovering from a long-term knee injury and winger Lucas Vázquez enduring a torrid time there out of position.

Alexander-Arnold could make his Real Madrid debut when they face Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in their opening Club World Cup match on June 18 in Miami.

Real Madrid have also signed Spanish centre-back Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth as they look to bolster a back-line which was ravaged by injury this season.

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