Xabi Alonso Eyes Guler for Potential Mbappé Replacement as Real Madrid Kicks Off Club World Cup

Real Madrid faces a critical challenge as they prepare for their FIFA Club World Cup opener today against Al-Hilal, with Kylian Mbappé's participation hanging in the balance due to illness. Despite the limited time to fully assess his new squad, coach Xabi Alonso already has a strong strategy in mind and is reportedly eyeing a surprising starter to potentially fill Mbappé's crucial role.

Alonso, who has had minimal time to prepare his players and delve into each of their individual abilities, emphasized the importance of collective effort in his pre-match press conference. "Today, balance, commitment, and everyone being involved in all phases are fundamental. The distances, the team staying together will make things much easier for us. We're going to try to be as effective as possible, and we hope that on the last day of the tournament, we'll be a better team than at the start. The matches will tell us many things, and tomorrow is the starting point. We'll see where we end up," the Basque coach expressed.

Among the young talents, Alonso singled out Arda Güler, noting his immense potential. He acknowledges that new players are progressively adapting to the team and its training methods, confident they will hit their stride. Güler himself appears more than ready for the challenge. When asked by Alonso if he felt prepared to face the Saudi Arabian side, the young Turk's response was enthusiastic: "I can't wait to start playing, I'm really looking forward to it..."

Güler is clearly invigorated by this new chapter, especially after a challenging period under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, who largely kept him sidelined. This decision deprived Madridistas of witnessing one of football's most promising talents on the pitch. Now, under Alonso, Güler could be set for a pivotal opportunity to prove his worth and demonstrate why he's considered a rising star, potentially stepping into a vital role in Real Madrid's Club World Cup debut.