Xabi Alonso orders nine Real Madrid players to take special 'world test' during first training session

Xabi Alonso has ordered nine players to take a special 'world test' in his first training session as Real Madrid manager, it has been reported.

Alonso was appointed as Real manager on May 25, replacing the outgoing Carlo Ancelotti.

The Spaniard spent five years at the Bernabeu as a player, winning the Champions League under Ancelotti before leaving to join Bayern Munich in 2015.

After completing an unbeaten Bundesliga season and winning three trophies in 2023/24 with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso is now back in Spain and looking to compete for both La Liga and the Champions League.

Image: Twitter/@realmadridcf

Spanish outlet Marca report that the Spaniard hasn't had the ideal start on day one, with only four fully available players in training due to international commitments and injury issues.

Ten Real players are currently dealing from injury problems, and are all at varying degrees of their recoveries.

That has left Fran Garcia, Lucas Vazquez, Dani Ceballos and Raul Asencio as the only fully fit players that Alonso can work with at present.

As a result, he decided to call up nine youth team players to train with the first team in order to bolster squad numbers.

And Marca add that he put them through a 'world test' on day one in order to help them adapt to the new way of working.

It is claimed that this will largely revolve around communication with new Castilla coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who has submitted reports to Alonso with information on which youth team players could benefit the first team.

The Spaniard will then test each player's capability in a high-pressure environment before deciding whether to include them in his squad for the Club World Cup, which gets underway on Saturday.

According to AS, Alonso has already decided to take young forward Gonzalo Garcia to the United States, with the 18-year-old potentially playing a super-sub role similar to that of former Real forward Joselu.