Never a dull moment when Real Madrid are in town, especially when Raul Asencio decides to throw in a bit of chaos for free. The young defender seems to have made it a mission to give referees something to think about, and once again, he delivered, just not in the way Xabi Alonso would’ve liked.
It was Alonso’s first win as Real Madrid boss, and boy, he had to earn it the hard way. The 3-1 victory over Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup might look comfortable on paper, but this was anything but a walk in the park, especially after going down to 10 men just seven minutes in.
Raul Asencio Goes Red Again
In a déjà vu moment from the previous match vs Al Hilal, where Asencio conceded a penalty, this time he fouled Salomon Rondon as the last man standing. The ref didn’t blink. Straight red. No VAR drama. Just pure, old-school “you’re off, mate.”
Real were left scrambling. Tchouameni dropped into center-back, partnering with Dean Huijsen, while Arda Guler casually slid into midfield like he owned the place.
First Cooling Break, Then Total Control
Things were scrappy until the first cooling break. Real sat deep, absorbed the pressure, and looked like they might just go full Atlético. But once they settled, the build-up play started to click. And then came the flair.
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- Goal #1: Jude Bellingham, of course, made a classic late midfield run. Fran Garcia spotted it, picked him out, and Jude finished it with that signature calmness. All this barely a day after his brother Jobe scored for Dortmund. Family of ballers.
Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca, Bellingham, Credits- Twitter - Goal #2: Gonzalo Garcia turned provider, laying it beautifully into Arda Guler’s path. The Turkish wonderkid made no mistake, side-netting finish, as cool as you like.
Second Half? Madrid in Cruise Control
Madrid did what they do best, dictate the game. Modric and Ceballos came on to add more control, and it became a midfield masterclass from that point on.
Then came the killer blow:
- Goal #3: Fede Valverde bulldozed through midfield, found the perfect pocket, and Brahim Diaz slipped it into his path. Boom. 3-0, game, set, and match.
Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca, Valverde Shine, Credits- Twitter
Late Blip? Sure. But No Panic.
Pachuca did pull one back in the 80th minute, a deflection off Tchouameni wrong-footed Courtois but honestly, it didn’t matter. Madrid were already sipping the victory juice by then.
Xabi Alonso’s Verdict: Learning Curve for Asencio
After the game, Xabi Alonso didn’t throw Asencio under the bus, but he wasn’t handing out hugs either. “Raul needs to learn from these kinds of experiences,” he said. “You can’t make that kind of foul so early. He’s young, but he’s got to think faster.”
And with that, Madrid head into their next match vs RB Salzburg on June 27.
Also Read- Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca: Bellingham, Guler And Valverde Shine After Early Red Card
