Jude Bellingham praised Xabi Alonso’s “amazing ideas” after Real Madrid overcame an early red card to beat Pachuca 3-1 in the Club World Cup on Sunday, while confirming that he’ll undergo shoulder surgery when the tournament is over.
The win was Alonso’s first since taking over at Madrid before the Club World Cup after his team drew 1-1 with Al Hilal in its opener.
Madrid defender Raúl Asencio was sent off in the 7th minute at Bank of America Stadium for fouling Pachuca forward Salomón Rondón.
Ten-man Madrid soon responded with goals from Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler, before Federico Valverde added a third, and Elias Montiel responded for Pachuca with the only shot that got past Thibaut Courtois, who made 10 saves
“It was tough after Asencio was sent off,” Bellingham said in his post-match news conference, after being chosen as the game’s MVP. “He’s a young defender, it happens, there’s no harm in that. It was a test of our character, and a test of our leadership.
“The manager [Alonso] decided to change shape, and we all took that responsibility well. We had to weather the storm, [Pachuca] had a lot of shots. Thibaut was fantastic. It’s a good win, still not perfect, but the coaches’ ideas are amazing, and we want to keep going.”
