Real Madrid secured a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 last night after getting a 3-0 win over the Austrian side RB Salzburg. This was the first clean sheet kept by the Merengues under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, and now they are set to face Juventus in their next match.
Several players stood out in last night’s game, as Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, and Gonzalo Garcia all got on the scoresheet. The young forward would have been particularly happy with his goal, as this allowed him to complete a very good group stage of the competition.
He has played all three games so far as Kylian Mbappe has been unavailable due to gastroenteritis, and Endrick is also injured.
He has undoubtedly been the surprise player for Los Blancos in this competition, as he scored 2 goals and gave 1 assist in three matches so far. Furthermore, he has also impressed quite a lot with his good decision-making, link-up play, and some very clever moves that created clear chances for his team.
Xabi Alonso compares Gonzalo Garcia with a legend
Following these performances, it was not a surprise to see Xabi Alonso speaking highly of the young forward. As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the Spanish coach went on to compare Garcia with one of the biggest names in Real Madrid history, i.e., Raul Gonzalez:
“To be honest, it’s not such a big surprise to me what he’s doing because I’ve followed Castilla closely and I know its players well. Gonzalo is the typical number nine… he reminds me of Raúl in some ways — always in the right position, always waiting for his opportunity, always working hard to help the team.”
No decision about the next season yet
However, despite this praise and comparison, Alonso has not yet made up his mind on whether Garcia will be a part of the first team squad for the 2025-26 season:
“Right now, we’re focused on the Club World Cup, with the players we have. Obviously, the tournament gives you some insights, but no decision has been made.”
There is no doubt that this has been a very good competition for Gonzalo Garcia, and hopefully, he will continue to take advantage of any chances that fall his way in the future as well. But for now, things might get somewhat difficult for him with Kylian Mbappe’s return.
