The Garcías' incredible transformation explains Xabi Alonso's new Real Madrid

Real Madrid eliminated Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup quarter-finals (3-2). Xabi Alonso's team, far superior to the Germans throughout the match in the United States , had the most complete performance of the tournament and shone in the first half, where they led 2-0 after 20 minutes . The team relaxed in the second half, conceding two goals in stoppage time and Courtois had to make a life-saving save to avoid extra time.

Two youth players, Gonzalo García and Fran García, scored two of the three goals for the Whites, demonstrating how the Tolosa-born coach's meritocracy has positively impacted a team in need of new tactical and emotional incentives . With Kylian Mbappé available , Xabi Alonso once again opted for Gonzalo García. A message that is a declaration of intent in itself.

The youth player, who had already been decisive against Juventus and performed in every match he played, scored a goal that highlighted his greatest strength as a footballer : he's always in the right place at the right time. The Real Madrid striker, the kind of finisher the squad has lacked since Joselu left, started ahead of Mbappé and scored.

"We had talked about it before the game, Arda Güler and I , that his defensive line came out a lot when there was a back pass. And he told me that he was going to put it there, that I should be there. It was a treat, I just had to push it ," the striker would confess after the match on DAZN . He already has four goals and one assist in five games. However, reducing the game and Gonzalo García's skills to the heart of the area would be a huge mistake, and that was evident in Fran García's 2-0 win .

The theoretical Real Madrid striker, as mobile as Xabi Alonso wanted, just like Vinícius Júnior, dropped to the right and together he and Trent Alexander-Arnold created a goal, with the left-back finishing off a cross from the right. Without Ferland Mendy and Camavinga and with Álvaro Carreras in the mix, Fran García 's form has soared during the Club World Cup.

Borussia Dortmund were unable to stop Fran García 's surprise appearances , especially during the first half. The Real Madrid full-back repeatedly pierced the backs of German defenders with his exceptional physicality and his runs that allowed Real Madrid to stretch deep into the opposition's half. Boosted by the three-man center-back system that covered him in the event of a counterattack, Fran García shone brightly and was Real Madrid's deepest player in attack.

Real Madrid convinced Xabi Alonso from the start for the first time. The high press , one of the main hallmarks Xabi Alonso wants to instill in his new team, was effective and caused Borussia Dortmund many problems . The distance between players allowed Real Madrid to suffocate the Germans without much difficulty and allowed the ball to circulate quickly and vertically until the game became very much in their favor. No player spared a single effort.

With everything going their way in the second half, Real Madrid had less possession and retreated into a lower block , creating great counterattacking opportunities. With the semifinals in mind, Xabi Alonso withdrew Alexander-Arnold, Vinícius, and Bellingham, and brought on Modric, Ceballos, and Mbappé. The Tolosa-born coach's substitutions helped ease the game and capitalize on the lead until the end, but they didn't quite seal the match, and the players relaxed in stoppage time.

" We haven't known that things haven't happened. Too many things have happened. Maybe it's good that it happens next time. In general, we had stability in the game. In the first 20 minutes, we attacked a lot and had authority. Then we tried to get there too quickly. The changes gave us rhythm again, but in the 80th minute everything got out of control," Xabi Alonso explained on DAZN .

Real Madrid eliminated Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup quarter-finals (3-2). Xabi Alonso's team, far superior to the Germans throughout the match in the United States , had the most complete performance of the tournament and shone in the first half, where they led 2-0 after 20 minutes . The team relaxed in the second half, conceding two goals in stoppage time and Courtois had to make a life-saving save to avoid extra time.