Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso appeared at a press conference after the 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in the first round of the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The coach said: "The second half was much better than the first, as we lacked many things in the first half, both with the ball and without it. We lost the ball too quickly, and we lacked balance, and these are things we talked about before, but it took us longer. I liked our reaction in the second half. We were able to give the match a different rhythm, a different pace, with a larger number of players, which gave them good comfort and good control of the game. Thanks to this control, we were able to reach the opponent's penalty area better, adjust our pressure, and get much closer to their area. This is a continuous process. Everything takes time. The first half was not good, and we have to benefit from the positives and look at the negatives to learn from them."

Regarding the debut of Trent and Haussen: "First, I would like to congratulate them, as this is an important day for them. Their first participation with Real Madrid will leave a significant impact on them. I am happy that they have this character and will be important players, and having them with us will give us a big qualitative leap."

He emphasized: "Those who thought everything would go smoothly... we knew what would go smoothly and what we needed to keep working on to improve. Thanks to the quality of our ball possession and our improved control of it, we were able to win. We did not succeed in that in the first half."

He stressed: "I am not frustrated by the performance in the first half because we know it will take time. However, in the second half, I noticed a reaction. We were able to improve the things we talked about. Everything requires time and repetition for us to understand it better. We have trained for nine days with only three training sessions, and this is a continuous process. It is clear that we demand results because we are in competition, but what we also want is to learn and know what we want to be."

He added: "Our performance was better in the second half than in the first. Good ball control, space expansion, balance among players, and our ability to attack in the corridors and move forward when we lose the ball. This is what we were able to do better. We faced greater difficulty in the first half. No excuses, but the weather was very hot. It was also a difficult match to reach the rhythm of play. Asensio, for example, was taking antibiotics and was struggling in the first half, which is why he was substituted. Vinicius Junior suffered cramps in the 70th minute. The conditions were tough. Al Hilal finished the match extremely exhausted, and we finished it stronger, and that made me happy."

Regarding facing Pachuca: "Almost all teams in this group have new coaches. Our team, Al Hilal, and Pachuca. Last year, Real Madrid played against them in the Intercontinental Cup, and it was a close match. We won in the end. Every team has a high level, and we saw that today. The match will be difficult as well."

On Al Hilal's level: "I was not surprised by that; I have watched many matches. The same goes for the new coach; he has players who have played at the highest level, and it is an excellent team. We had doubts about whether Inzaghi could play with three center-backs, as he successfully did with Inter. Al Hilal is used to playing with four defenders. We talked about different scenarios, but we were not completely sure."

Regarding the penalties in the match: "I could not see them. Fran Garcia's penalty seemed to me to be a penalty, but the other one was a bit far for me. They are critical moments; Al Hilal's penalty could have been avoided."

He noted: "The difference between the first and second halves was our balance with the ball. We were more stable in the second half, and we had longer periods of possession from inside to outside, and we got a bit closer to them. In the first half, we did not control the ball much, and they gradually gained more momentum and space. The pressure today was difficult. In the second half, with the development of our attacking performance, we became better. It was not enough, but it was better."

He continued: "Can a 17-year-old player like Mastantuno be a starter in a big team like Real Madrid? Time will show that. But of course, he can start or come in as a substitute. Our goal is for him to help us from the start. We have high expectations. He will arrive in August, and we will have a clearer idea, but we are happy with that."

On Kylian Mbappe's readiness for the next match: "In fact, we do not know if he will be ready or not; we have to monitor his recovery condition. He has not been able to train well in the last few days. His health condition is poor; he suffered from a serious viral infection, and we have to monitor him."

He concluded about the weather: "It is clear that this is not the best temperature, nor the best conditions, nor the best time to play football. We know that playing at this time is not just a sporting decision."