Amid growing transfer speculation, Rodrygo did not play a single minute of Real Madrid’s first victory under Xabi Alonso. Question marks surround Rodrygo’s place at Real Madrid following a poor 2024–25 campaign.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said he believes Antonio Rüdiger’s claims that his defender was subjected to racist abuse during the game against Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, adding that a FIFA investigation is underway.

Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler scored first-half goals and short-handed Real Madrid bounced back from a disappointing performance in its Club World Cup opener to beat Pachuca 3-1 in front of 70,248 spectators at Bank of America Stadium.