Xabi, carrot and stick: "I didn't like the first half, but I did like the second. I'm not frustrated. This is a process."

Xabi Alonso appeared in the press room with a slightly red face. He wasn't angry, it's just that the Miami sun is unforgiving to any skin, not even the whitest. He enjoyed the second half and admitted that the first half wasn't good: "At the beginning, we wanted to play too fast and we lost the ball. I didn't like that. Then we reacted well. A different pace, a different feel for the game, more quality on the ball, more composure, more control, rebounds, second chances, being higher when losing possession, better between the lines, in the corridors, width, and with all that, we sank them. This is a process, and anyone who thought this was going to work perfectly from the start was wrong. I'm not frustrated."

Xabi said that due to the heat he had to substitute Asencio at half-time, but he also sent him a message about the grab that cost him the 1-1: "He's on antibiotics and was suffering in the first half, but the penalty was avoidable." A carrot and stick, which proved to be nothing more than a carrot for debutants Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold : "They've given us a boost in quality. I'm happy with their performance."

Gonzalo took the 'Man of the Match' award. Without Mbappé, the Castilla striker took his place, and he performed quite well. A goal and several dangerous shots, but the bitter taste of a draw: "It's a privilege. I've been here since I was a kid, and to be able to score a goal in my first game as a starter for the first team is absolutely incredible. But we didn't win."

Before the match, Florentino spoke, something very unusual. The president didn't know yet, of course, that the match would leave a bad impression, but that won't change his opinion of the tournament. The president offered immense praise for this Club World Cup, which Tebas, his number one enemy, dislikes so much: "It's a new competition that many people have fought for. I want to thank FIFA and DAZN for allowing the best clubs in the world to play in such a beautiful tournament, and for free. I'm sure it's going to be a success, and we all come with that enthusiasm."