‘You Can’t Change Everything’—Thibaut Courtois Frustrated by Real Madrid Performance in Al Hilal Draw | OneFootball

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has argued the team need more time to learn the methods of new manager Xabi Alonso.

All eyes were on Alonso as Madrid got its Club World Cup campaign underway on Wednesday against Al Hilal, but did not meet expectations by making hard work of a 1–1 tie.

Courtois did not hide away from the issues with Madrid’s performance but insisted this was more of a carryover from the previous regime under Carlo Ancelotti, rather than an indication of life under Alonso.

“We’re trying to do different things, obviously, but you can’t do everything in four days,” he stressed. “After four years doing things with another coach, the automatisms of before perhaps remain.

“We’ve tried to change things, with a higher line and more aggressiveness. In the first half we were more apathetic and in the second half we were more aggressive and that’s how we want to play.”

Alonso is under pressure to turn things around. / IMAGO/Sportimage

Asked what Madrid needs to improve, Courtois offered his suggestions on the team’s current tactical flaws.

“It’s more a question for Xabi,” he began. “We played a little slowly in the first half, and as a unit we need to be faster. The midfielders shouldn’t be so close to the defenders that the striker hesitates.”

Alonso himself acknowledged the need to improve but, like Courtois, warned fans they will need to be patient while the team gets used to his approach.

“I knew it would take time,” the Madrid boss said. “There are things we have to change.

“We’ll have to correct them, and we’ll keep doing that. Everything takes time, we’ve had nine days, and some players have had just three training sessions. It’s demanding, we’re in a competition, but we want to learn, and what we want to do will take time.”

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