Real Madrid midfielder unhappy with Xabi Alonso decision during Al-Hilal draw; club ready to sell him if he requests transfer: Reports

As per Defensa Central, Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos was unhappy with Xabi Alonso's decision to bench him in the FIFA Club World Cup game against Al-Hilal. Los Blanos were held to a 1-1 draw by the Saudi Pro League team in their opening encounter of the tournament on Wednesday, June 18.

Notably, Ceballos was the only first-team outfield player who didn't register a minute against Al-Hilal (via Madrid Xtra). While the aforementioned report outrightly claimed that Madrid are not looking to offload the Spaniard, they might consider selling him if he submits a transfer request. They will expect a fee of not less than €30 million.

Ceballos is unlikely to be a regular in Xabi Alonso's starting XI going ahead, but could play a key role as a squad player in a long season. His contract at the Bernabeu runs till June 2027.

Ceballos would be keen to impress his new manager if given the chance to feature in Real Madrid's next game against Pachuca.

"We didn’t start well" - Thibaut Courtois on Real Madrid's draw against Al-Hilal

Real Madrid CF v Al Hilal: Group H - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - Source: Getty

Los Blancos’ No.1, Thibaut Courtois felt the failure to start well against Al-Hilal saw them fail to pick up a win. While conceding that some 'habits take time to change', Courtois lauded Madrid's tactical progress under Alonso.

In an interview, the Belgian revealed (via Madrid Universal):

"We didn’t start well, The first half was too slow. Al Hilal were sharper, but we still managed to take the lead. Unfortunately, we gave away a soft penalty, and they levelled the score. At halftime, we spoke about it and came out much better in the second half. We created chances and even had a penalty, but it just didn’t go our way."

He added:

"We’re trying to do different things, But we’ve only had four days of training after four years under a different coach. Some habits take time to change. We’ve started playing with a higher line and more intensity. You could see the difference after the break—we were more aggressive, and that’s how we want to play."

Having dropped two points in their opening game of the tournament, Real Madrid will be eager to register a victory against Pachuca. The encounter will be played at the Bank of North America stadium on Sunday, June 22.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava