Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has showered praise on both Arda Güler and Fede Valverde following their impressive showing during the FIFA Club World Cup final group stage clash against RB Salzburg, which took place in the early hours of Friday. According to Alonso, the pair played a crucial role in providing Los Blancos with essential midfield control, particularly during the opening forty-five minutes of the match against the Austrian side. The encounter saw Real Madrid record a convincing 3-0 win, with goals coming from Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, and Gonzalo Garcia, securing a comfortable result over Salzburg. After the game, Alonso addressed reporters in his post-match interview, as quoted by Madrid Zone. The coach highlighted the contributions of both Güler and Valverde, acknowledging how their performances enhanced the collective rhythm and stability of the team. “Arda Güler and Fede gave us very good control in the first half,” Alonso remarked. He went further to note, “These are various options that strengthen our collective quality. As the team’s quality continues to rise, all of our players will continue to benefit from it.” The impressive result means Real Madrid now lead Group H, sitting at the top of the table with seven points collected from their three group-stage fixtures so far. Looking ahead, Real Madrid will take on Juventus in the highly anticipated Round of 16 showdown scheduled for Tuesday, where they will hope to build upon their strong group-stage performances and push further in the competition.
Erik Ten Hag, the former Manchester United head coach, has reportedly finalized a provisional agreement to take over as Bayer Leverkusen’s new manager following the exit of Xabi Alonso. The update was shared by renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano through a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday. Romano disclosed that the Dutch coach has committed to a two-year deal with the Bundesliga side, with the contract running until June 2027. This development signals that Ten Hag is poised to fill the managerial position left vacant by Xabi Alonso, who is anticipated to take up the head coach role at Real Madrid. “The agreement in principle between Erik ten Hag and Bayer Leverkusen is valid for two years, as revealed yesterday,” Romano posted. “Contract until June 2027, total priority from ETH to the Bayer04 project… now waiting to get it sealed on the club side.” Bayer Leverkusen wrapped up the recent Bundesliga season in second place, finishing just behind league winners Bayern Munich. The upcoming season now presents a significant opportunity for the club to contend for the Bundesliga title under Ten Hag’s leadership. Read Fabrizio Romano’s Tweet on X
