In the match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup (4-0), controversial tactical decisions were made by coach Xabi Alonso, who made changes described as chaotic that affected the team's balance.

The Spanish newspaper "ABC" reported that the start came with Vinicius Junior placed on the right wing, which displeased the player, while Mbappe was positioned on the left wing and Gonzalo was played as a center forward.

After the team fell behind by two goals, Alonso decided to make changes that confusingly shuffled the players' positions, with Vinicius returning to the left side, Gonzalo moving to the right, and Mbappe shifting to the center forward position, which increased the disruption of the collective performance.

Despite the team's decline, Alonso maintained the 4-3-3 formation throughout the match, without resorting to any effective adjustments or tangible tactical changes, in a scenario that recalled Carlo Ancelotti's style, who had previously faced sharp criticism for sticking to the same tactical approach.