Thibaut Courtois admits Real Madrid still dealing with Carlo Ancelotti hangover and warns Xabi Alonso revolution will take time after disappointing Club World Cup debut under new coach

Madrid are still dealing with the hangover following four years of playing under Ancelotti, according to goalkeeper Courtois. The Belgian spoke with the media following their disappointing debut under new head coach Alonso as they could only manage a 1-1 draw with underdogs Al-Hilal. Courtois, though, remains confident that things will improve in the future.

Courtois appeared before the reporters after the game and explained the reasons behind the underwhelming performance. He said: "We've been with Carlo for four years, we have certain automatisms, and now we have to change them to what the new manager wants."

The 33-year-old urged everyone to remain patient, adding: "It's not something that can be changed in four days; it doesn't happen immediately. We're watching videos and talking a lot. We'll learn from this game, and things will improve in the future."

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Madrid spent four years under Ancelotti after his arrival in the summer of 2021. On the other hand, Alonso has not even spent one full month as the new Blancos boss. What's more, he has only had a handful of training sessions with the players after their return from international duty earlier this month. Additionally, they missed Kylian Mbappe's services as the Frenchman missed the game due to a flu and his participation in the next game remains uncertain. While Madrid's first game under the Tolosa native was far from convincing, it will take time for the players to adopt the coach's requirements and tactics.

Los Merengues will be aiming to secure their first win in the Alonso era when they take on Mexican side Pachuca in the next Club World Cup game on Sunday, June 22. The onus will also be on the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the new signing enduring a forgettable debut with his new team.