Xabi Alonso’s highly anticipated managerial debut for Real Madrid on Wednesday ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against a resilient Al Hilal side at a near-capacity Hard Rock Stadium. In the searing Miami heat, the 15-time European champions showed only flashes of their renowned brilliance, leaving much to ponder for their new coach.

Despite Kylian Mbappé being sidelined with fever, Gonzalo García stepped up to give Real Madrid an early lead with a composed finish.

However, Al Hilal, under the guidance of Simone Inzaghi, quickly demonstrated their defensive grit and attacking intent.

Rúben Neves calmly converted a penalty before halftime, leveling the score and setting the stage for a tense second half.

The match’s drama peaked in added time when VAR intervened, awarding Real Madrid a penalty after a foul on Fran Garcia.

Federico Valverde stepped up, but his low effort was brilliantly saved by Al Hilal’s Yassine Bounou, denying Alonso a winning start and sparking wild celebrations from the Saudi Arabian team.

New signing Trent Alexander-Arnold, making his debut, struggled to make a significant impact, a stark contrast to the lively performance of the 21-year-old Gonzalo García.

Al Hilal, meanwhile, started strongly, pressuring Madrid’s defense and forcing crucial interventions, including a vital interception by Aurelien Tchouameni to deny Salem Al-Dawsari.

Despite the challenging conditions and two cooling breaks, Real Madrid struggled to consistently assert their dominance.

While a second-half shot from substitute Arda Guler rattled the bar and Bounou made another stunning save to deny García, Al Hilal’s defense held firm. Real Madrid will now look to regroup as they prepare to face Pachuca on Sunday, while Al Hilal will take on RB Salzburg in a crucial Group H fixture.

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