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Can Alonso s Real Madrid overcome the Paris hurdle?

2:46pm, 10 July 2025【Football】

Real Madrid is about to usher in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup with Paris Saint-Germain. This game, known as the "final staged in advance" of this event, is not only a tactical contest, but also an ultimate trial about courage and belief.

The last game layout, Alonso faces multiple choices, the game has not yet begun, Alonso is already in a silent game - how to arrange troops? This is by no means a simple tactical question, but a comprehensive test of balance, identity and even courage.

Since taking over Real Madrid, Alonso has been adapting to various challenges: from the initial lack of Mbappe, to frequent lineup rotations, to how to retain the team's traditional heritage while introducing new players. However, it was in these dilemmas that he discovered a surprising "puzzle": forward star Gonzalo Garcia emerged; Alda Guerre transformed from potential stock to midfield metronome; left surprise Fran Garcia also gradually gained a foothold.

But in the face of Paris Saint-Germain, this battle will be the biggest test since he coached the "Galaxy Battleship". If you are not careful, everything he built may collapse.

Defense line puzzle: Who will fill the vacancy of Heysen?

The first thing to bear is the defensive end. Dean Heysen's absence due to a red card suspension has caused a key gap in Real Madrid's defense. Alonso must make a choice:

is to retreat Chuameni to the central defender position? This plan has been tried before, and the effect is acceptable, but it will weaken the midfield strength;

Or should you use the experienced Asensio to replace Heisen to make up for the shortcomings of speed and confrontation with experience? Both options are feasible, but none of them are perfect. Especially considering Paris' strong offensive firepower, once the midfield loses its power, the consequences will be unimaginable.

The midfield trio was initially decided, and Guerre became the core engine

In terms of midfield, Alonso seems to have finalized three starters: Bellingham, Valverde and Guerre. This combination combines energy, creativity and assault abilities. Among them, Jule is playing the role of the "No. 10 position" in the new era - simple and efficient, with clear rhythm, and has become the tactical center of the entire team.

The most difficult choice: How to match the three players on the front line?

The real problem appears on the front line. Gonzalo has been in a hot state recently, contributing 4 goals and 1 assist in the last five games, and should have secured a starting position. But with Mbappe's return, coupled with Vinicius's almost unshakable position, Alonso had to make a difficult choice:

Should he continue to trust the young shooter, or risk him on the wing?

Should I use the double gun combination of Vinicius + Mbappe, or should I retain Gonzalo as a change?

If you stick to Gonzalo, you may need to adjust the formation to 5-3-2 and place him on the right wing, but that's not where he is best. At the same time, Chu Améni will be further retreated and form a three-center-back system with Rudiger and Asensio.

Paris is not a test field, and the fault tolerance space is very small

However, Paris is not an opponent that allows you to experiment calmly. They are a "machine army" that is both offensive and defensive, and is both speed and technology, and are especially good at seizing opponents' mistakes to create murderous intent.

Therefore, a more secure solution may be to strengthen midfield control, consolidate the defense line, and rely on the speed of Vinicius and Mbappe to attack the opponent. But this means that Gonzalo will lose the starting position - he is a rising star promoted by Alonso himself and an important symbol of his creation of this Real Madrid team.

This is Alonso's life-and-death chess game

In this short cup game, every decision is like a life-and-death chess game. Alonso knew this very well. But unlike other coaches who choose to be conservative and stable, the young young coach is standing at a crossroads: Should he choose to move forward cautiously, or give it a try and defend the football philosophy he has built with his belief?

Paris is perhaps the highest peak he has climbed so far. But if the overturn succeeds, he will be closer to the definition known as the "great coach."