Xabi Alonso had planned to drop Vinicius Junior for Paris Saint-Germain showdown

Real Madrid suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in their Club World Cup semi-final last week. This loss marked Xabi Alonso's first defeat since becoming Real Madrid manager at the start of June and is considered a significant low point for the team.

The defeat has intensified scrutiny on the playing dynamic between forwards Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Junior, with many believing they struggle to function effectively together in Real Madrid's ideal lineup. Against PSG, they started as wingers on opposite sides of Gonzalo Higuaín, with Mbappé on the left and Vinícius playing out of position on the right.

However, reports (via Alberto Pereiro on Radio Estadio) reveal that Vinícius was originally slated to start on the bench for the PSG match. The initial plan was for Mbappé and Higuaín to form a two-man attack. A late change occurred when Trent Alexander-Arnold became unavailable due to injury. This prompted manager Alonso to switch formations from 3-5-2 to 4-3-3, leading to Vinícius being reinstated in the starting lineup.

Despite starting the match, Vinícius's near-benching is seen as a potential sign of his future standing, especially amid reports that Mbappé is currently favored more by the club. Nevertheless, Alonso's stated desire is to find a tactical solution that allows both Vinícius and Mbappé to start together and perform at their best.

Finding this solution remains a key challenge for Alonso, who has until the start of August and Real Madrid's shortened pre-season schedule to resolve the issue.