Xabi Alonso faces major selection dilemma against Salzburg with key position under question
Real Madrid are set to play RB Salzburg in their final group-stage match at the FIFA Club World Cup. A draw is all they need to move into the Round of 16, but the road to qualification has become more complicated after a key defensive blow.
Raul Asencio is suspended following a red card against Pachuca. His absence leaves manager Xabi Alonso with a big decision to make at the back.
Advertisement
Asencio has been under the spotlight recently for all the wrong reasons. He gave away a costly penalty against Al Hilal, which denied Madrid a win, and his sending-off against Pachuca left the team to play with 10 men for most of the match.
Now, Alonso must look for someone to partner Dean Huijsen, who has been Real Madrid's standout defender in the tournament so far.
Signed from Bournemouth, Huijsen has impressed with his calmness on the ball and ability to carry it forward.
Confusion between two names
Who will Xabi Alonso pick? (Photo by)
With David Alaba still being handled carefully due to fitness issues and Eder Militao not fully back from his ligament injury suffered in November 2024, Xabi Alonso has two players in mind to replace Asencio, namely Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger.
Advertisement
Tchouameni has filled in at centre-back before, both after Asencio's red card and in the match against Al Hilal. He looked solid, offering good defensive awareness and composure.
Rudiger, on the other hand, has just returned from a muscle tear he picked up in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26.
The German, who has had a tough year dealing with meniscus problems, featured briefly against Pachuca and now appears to be the leading candidate to start alongside Huijsen.
Alonso's choice will play a key role in Madrid's efforts to book a place in the next round and possibly go on to win the trophy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Djaoui Cisse: Why you should expect the unexpected from France U21s' new rising star
The beauty of international tournaments is often in the unexpected. Whether that be an underdog nation going on a run or a little-known player stealing the show, it is hard not to enjoy seeing talent flourish. For this summer's Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia, France's Djaoui Cisse has been that player. Advertisement At the beginning of this month, the graduate of Rennes' youth academy — who only made his first Ligue 1 start for them in February — was not even in the squad. When Stuttgart's Enzo Millot withdrew for family reasons on June 2, Cisse came in, and he could now be in line to start their semi-final against Germany tonight. Here, The Athletic takes a look at the midfielder's rapid rise for club and country. As a late call-up, Cisse unsurprisingly began the tournament on the bench, not featuring in the opening 0-0 draw with Portugal and getting just a few minutes of action at the end of the 3-2 win against Georgia on matchday two. It was in the final group game, a 4-1 defeat of Poland, that head coach Gerald Baticle gave the 21-year-old his first start — and he did not disappoint, scoring twice, one with each foot, from outside the box in the space of 11 first-half minutes. 🚀 Pied droit, pied gauche… notre milieu de terrain 𝐃𝐣𝐚𝐨𝐮𝐢 𝐂𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞́ a envoyé 2️⃣ missiles depuis l'extérieur de la surface contre la Pologne 🤩#U21EURO — Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 18, 2025 That performance ensured he started the quarter-final against Denmark on Sunday. Again, he took his chance to impress. With France trailing 1-0 just before half-time, Cisse dribbled past challenges inside the box before slipping the ball through the goalkeeper's legs for the first equaliser in what ended as a 3-2 comeback win for France. 🇫🇷 Calm and composed finish Djaoui Cisse 😎#U21EURO — UEFA Men's Youth (@UEFAMensYouth) June 23, 2025 These crucial goalscoring performances from a player who did not even feature in the opening group game cast Cisse as a surprise package — but that would be an understatement. The midfielder had played only once, as an 89th-minute sub in their pre-tournament warm-up game against Uzbekistan Under-21s, at any level for France's youth teams before coming on in that second group match against Georgia, and only made his first start in senior club football for Rennes four months earlier. Advertisement That start in a 1-0 win against Strasbourg at Rennes' Roazhon Park on February 2 came unexpectedly, because of senior midfielder Azor Matusiwa was ill. It was also Habib Beye's first match as Rennes' head coach. The 47-year-old former Marseille, Newcastle United and Aston Villa full-back became the club's third manager of the season in late January, after the efforts of Julien Stephan and then Jorge Sampaoli had left them in Ligue 1's relegation play-off spot. The ex-Senegal international turned things around, however, to secure a 12th-place finish in the 18-team French top flight, eight points clear of trouble. Cisse was in the opening line-up for all but one of the final 15 games of the season under Beye (the match he missed was through suspension) and was key to an instant uptake in form, helping Rennes win four of his first five starts in senior football. In terms of what Cisse offers as a player, France have benefited from a licence to shoot from range that has been present since his second Ligue 1 start against Saint-Etienne, when he had three shots from outside the box. That proved to be a precursor of what was to come for club and country, as he scored his first senior goal in his fifth league start — a 4-0 win away to Montpellier. Receiving the ball from a short corner routine about 30 yards out, he takes one touch and fires a shot into the far corner to double Rennes' lead. Wearing a wry smile, and looking down, as he ran to hug Beye on the touchline in celebration, there was a sense that this was normal for Cisse, even if he appeared a tad shy. His manager backed that up after the win, saying: 'We've been encouraging more long-range efforts, and Cisse executed it perfectly.' Beye added that Cisse's 'tactical understanding is impressive'. That is one way to put it. Advertisement He has sometimes been part of a young midfield pairing at Rennes, alongside 20-year-old Wales international Jordan James, when the more experienced Seko Fofana, 30, has not started. Cisse's game understanding played just as big a role in him breaking into France's tournament squad as the goals he has scored following selection. Against both Georgia and Denmark, the subtlety in his touches when receiving the ball and some of the passes he saw were indicative of a midfielder more mature than his level of experience would suggest. That is no coincidence. Rennes' academy has had a strong reputation for producing elite talent for decades, with Ousmane Dembele, Eduardo Camavinga and Desire Doue just three examples of those to have come through their ranks in the past 10 years. A key characteristic for all of them is that they play with personality. While they may be deployed in different positions, they look to make things happen and are supremely comfortable on the ball. That combination makes them entertaining to watch because they can do the unexpected, which is a trait Cisse shares. At 6ft 2in (188cm), Cisse is happy to put in a challenge, but also has the poise to pirouette away from tackles in midfield and find a pass, as he does below against Lens in March. His frame at the moment is more lanky than well-built, with long legs contributing a lot to his height. Even so, he has shown in Ligue 1 that he is able to ride challenges and use both feet to get out of trouble. Below is an example against Marseille last month where he seemingly carries into danger, but shrugs off his opponent, uses his left foot to take the ball away from another and then moves it safely on to a team-mate with his right. These moments are very different to his long-range curlers into the net, but show signs of a midfielder who could have great influence in his position. His willingness to shoot feels like a throwback to years gone by, before teams became obsessed with scoring the perfect goal, while his technical ability in deep areas is a skill that is now coveted by many of Europe's top clubs. So far in Slovakia, that blend has elicited gasps and disbelieving chuckles, because he can produce an unexpected moment of class in an instant. Advertisement Even if, like spectators at the Under-21 Euros, the sport's big beasts are becoming more aware of Cisse as a result of this tournament, Rennes are in a good position. They rewarded him with a new contract, which runs until 2029, in April. They are a club who sell well when they have to. Jeremy Doku to Manchester City in 2023 is their record sale for €60million (£51.1m/$69.6m at the current rates). In terms of academy graduates, they sold Doue to Paris Saint-Germain for €50m last summer, Camavinga to Real Madrid for €31m in 2021 and Dembele to Borussia Dortmund for a reported €35m in 2016. After his goal against Montpellier, Beye claimed Cisse 'doesn't surprise' those at Rennes because they see those skills every day in training. That sentiment was shared by fellow Rennes academy graduate, Lorenz Assignon, who moved to German club Stuttgart for a reported €12million this month and told Ligue 1's website: 'You always see Rennes producing top young players. It just takes the right moment and the right coach. Djaoui has been working relentlessly, and now he's reaping the rewards.' Cisse found the right moment with his club and grabbed it with both hands — and now is is doing the same for his country.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Atletico Madrid activate release clause for 17-year-old attacking talent
Atletico Madrid have moved to secure one Spain's emerging talents, with Los Rojiblancos playing a significant fee for a teenager without a senior appearances. Elche have announced that Atletico have activated the release clause of under-19s star Daniel Fitzgerald. The 17-year-old, who has both Spanish and English citizenship, signed his first professional contract last year, and this season made his debut with Elche's B team, Elche Ilicitano, who play in Spain's fourth tier. He came on up front for the final 14 minutes of their clash against Andratx, and added a fifth goal in a 5-0 win in his first appearance. Atletico Madrid pay Fitzgerald release clause The Valencian club have announced that Atletico have paid Fitzgerald's €150k release clause, despite their best attempts to hold on to their teenage promise. Diario AS say that Elche had offered him a fresh deal, with the promise of senior football for the newly promoted La Liga side in the near future. However he will sign a three-year deal with Atletico, and is set to join their under-19 side. It is a level he is already familiar with, having moved up the ranks quickly with Elche. Image via Twitter / X Comparisons with Alex Baena Los Colchoneros have been heavily linked with Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena this summer, and the Madrid-based paper go on to say that Fitzgerald has drawn comparisons with the Spain international. Although he is capable of playing across the forward line, he plays best behind the forwards, and stands out for his ability to play the decisive pass. Fitzgerald must impress Fernando Torres and Diego Simeone Fitzgerald will face the tough task of breaking into Atletico's senior team in the coming years, with Pablo Barrios the only notable entry into the first team since Koke Resurreccion and Saul Niguez. If he stands out at under-19 level, it will be Fernando Torres in charge of the B team who will assess his readiness for senior football, before passing under the eyes of Diego Simeone.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Thomas Muller rejects complaints over heat at Club World Cup: ‘No excuses'
Thomas Muller has rejected complaints of 'impossible' heat at the Club World Cup, citing his own age as a reason why younger players should have 'no excuses'. Bayern Munich failed to end their group stage on a good note as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Benfica, forfeiting top spot in Group C in the process. Advertisement The temperature reached 36°C for the clash at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, harsh conditions that were reflected by the far from optimum performances on the pitch from both sides. However, Muller has hit back at claims that his team should be excused for their shortcomings. 'We have to be in shape,' he said post-match. 'If an almost 36-year-old guy like me can run 90 minutes, then everybody should do it, so no excuses.' Numerous players and managers have made their grievances about the extreme weather known publicly, with Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente among these as his side crashed out of the competition in the group stage. Advertisement 'It's impossible, it's terribly hot,' he said. 'My toes were sore, even my toenails were hurting, I couldn't stop or start.' Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca also voiced his frustrations about the heat, telling reporters after his side's shock 3-1 loss to Flamengo: "It's an excuse when it's not hot and we say that it's hot. That is an excuse. But if hot, it's hot. It's difficult to work with these temperatures but we are here and we trying to do our best and we will try to win.' Muller has made his stance clear, however, and does not want to see any of his teammates making same complaints as they hope to become the inaugural Club World Cup champions. Such success would prove the perfect farewell for Muller, who after helping Bayern reclaim the Bundesliga will leave the club this summer after a decorated 17 seasons in Bavaria. Advertisement He may stay put in the United States with a move to the MLS touted, following in the footsteps of fellow German great Marco Reus. However, he insists he is yet to make a final decision on next steps. 'There is a chance (of joining an MLS side) but I have to figure it out,' he adds. 'At the moment I am totally focussed on playing this tournament. Some talks, maybe in the background, but the focus is on this tournament now, I have no hurry, no stress to take my decisions, then we will see, but I don't know now.' Bayern Munich will take on Flamengo in the Club World Cup last 16 on Sunday 29 June. Watch every Fifa Club World Cup game free on DAZN. Sign up here now.
