Al-Hilal boss praises Real Madrid’s quality ahead of CWC showdown – ‘We will face possibly the best team in the world’ | OneFootball

Al Hilal’s new head coach, Simone Inzaghi, is preparing for a huge challenge as he gets ready to face Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Speaking ahead of the match, the Italian manager was full of praise for the Spanish giants and their new boss, Xabi Alonso, but made it clear that his team will not back down.

Like Alonso, Inzaghi is also making his debut in the competition and with his new club. And although the timing is not ideal, with limited preparation and only a few transfer windows to work with, he insisted that Al Hilal are approaching the tournament with belief and ambition.

“We are going to face possibly the best team in the world, but we will play our game, using our strengths,” Inzaghi said during his press conference.

“We come in with confidence and a desire to have a strong Club World Cup. The club is working hard to build the best team possible, even though time has been short.”

Inzaghi praises Alonso’s style

Inzaghi praise Alonso’s playing stayle. (Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)

One setback for Al Hilal is the confirmed absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian striker, who plays a vital role in the team’s attack, will miss the match against Real Madrid.

Inzaghi acknowledged this will be a big blow but remained focused on preparing the rest of the squad.

The Italian also took a moment to compliment Xabi Alonso, recognising his quick rise as a top coach.

“I know Xabi well. I followed his work at Bayer Leverkusen and was very impressed,” said Inzaghi. “He’s a coach who gets his message across clearly. I respect him a lot.”

While the odds may favour Real Madrid, Inzaghi’s words suggest Al Hilal won’t just show up, as they are coming to compete.

Source: Mundo Deportivo