Following Real Madrid’s recent draw against Al Hilal, key figures shared insights into the team’s performance. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spoke candidly, highlighting the need for evolution and adaptation on the pitch.
Courtois stated that the team still carries the patterns from Carlo Ancelotti’s time. He emphasized that changing these habits takes more than just a few days. The Belgian goalkeeper felt the team lacked possession and spent too much time chasing the ball, although he noted an improvement in the second half of the match.
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Coach Xabi Alonso is focused on bringing greater balance to the squad, an element less present in the final season under Ancelotti. This lack was clear in the first half against the Saudi opponent. Alonso’s planned changes include moving the ball faster, connecting passes to find open teammates, and implementing a higher defensive press. However, Al Hilal’s skilled attackers sometimes broke this press, creating worrying gaps at the back.
Implementing these tactical shifts requires significant practice time and matches. Alonso understands his vision needs to be refined through training sessions and future games. The upcoming match against Pachuca will be another test to see if players are adopting the new playing style Courtois mentioned. The coach himself had predicted the team would look much better by the end of the tournament than at the start.
