Real Madrid fans are in need of a revival in the 2025/26 season as Xabi Alonso looks to rebuild.
Los Blancos ended the 2024/25 campaign without a trophy, and the club opted to immediately dispense with Carlo Ancelotti, with Alonso installed as his replacement in May.
The former Spain international has signed a three-year contract and his brief is to get the team back on track to challenge Barcelona in La Liga and a host of UEFA Champions League rivals.
Alonso was ruthlessly dumped out of the FIFA Club World Cup by PSG as a highlight of the work to be done.
Kylian Mbappe missed the majority of the tournament due to illness, after winning the La Liga Golden Boot in his debut season, with 31 league goals scored in 2024/25.
Defence has the main priority for Alonso, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras all landing at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, as part of a new-look back four.
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Mbappe and Vinicius Junior will be central to Alonso's attacking plan despite lingering concerns over how they can play together at full power.
What is Xabi Alonso's plan for Mbappe and Vinicius Jr?
Due to their limited game time together at the Club World Cup, Alonso will have to throw his two attacking stars straight into La Liga action, with Jude Bellingham out injured until October.
Mbappe as central attacker with Vinicius Jr on the left - as was Ancelotti's plan - with remain as Alonso's go-to, but there remains questions over how it all fits together in the long-term.
However, managing the pair's mentality and willingness to run back and defend could be the greater challenge for Alonso, and former Los Blancos playmaker Wesley Sneijder has raised his concerns on it.
"Xabi is very intelligent. You could see that when we played together. I think he'll do well at Real Madrid. He knows the club, the pressure and has fresh ideas. I believe in him after what he did at Bayer Leverkusen," as per quotes from Marca.
"The only issue could be if egos are not managed well. Great players need structure and sacrifice. If they play for the team, not for themselves, they can be unstoppable. But it's up to the coach to make it work."
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