Trent Alexander-Arnold provided an assist for Real Madrid’s in-form starlet Gonzalo Garcia as the Spanish giants overcame Juventus to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
Garcia powerfully headed home a curled Alexander-Arnold cross, his first assist for his new side, in the 54th minute at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium to score the only goal of the match.
Much talk pre-match had centred around Garcia’s impressive showing at the tournament so far.
The 21-year-old, who has garnered comparisons to Real Madrid legend Raul, has now scored three goals and provided one assist in four games.
And the Spaniard once again outshone Kylian Mbappe with a match winning performance against the Italian side which earned him further plaudits and piled pressure on Los Blancos’ other attacking stars.
Garcia replaced Kylian Mbappe in the starting lineup in the opening games of the tournament after the Frenchman was ruled out with illness.
On Wednesday, the roles were reversed as Mbappe came on as a 68th minute substitute for the young Spaniard.
But the 26-year-old failed to impress in his brief cameo.
Speaking after the win, Madrid boss Xabi Alonso piled praise on Madrid’s latest star.
‘That’s what a striker is meant to do: to score, be in the right position at the right moment,’ he said. ‘He played well again.’
Mbappe is recovering from gastrointestinal illness and made his Club World Cup debut on Tuesday.
Alonso added: ‘He [Mbappe] is good enough to come on in the second half for a few minutes, depending on the circumstances in the game.’
Garcia’s emphatic headed finish against Juventus came after he scored in group games against Al-Hilal and Red Bull Salzburg, claiming an assist in Madrid’s victory over Pachuca, as they eased to the top of Group H.
His red hot form has earned glares from the Premier League, with three clubs reportedly interested in securing his services this summer.
The young striker has two years remaining on his contract but is said to have a release clause of just €50million (£43m).
But the academy star wants to remain at Real Madrid and play for Xabi Alonso.
He is thought to want to establish himself in the first team and follow in the footsteps of Marco Asencio, Dani Carvajal, Nacho Fernandez, and Lucas Vázquez.
Gonzalo scored 25 goals and provided four assists for Real Madrid Castilla, who play in the Spanish third tier, this season.
‘I’ve followed the Castilla a lot, not just him,’ Alonso said. ‘To be honest, what he does isn’t a surprise. He did it many times for the Castilla.
‘He’s a typical No.9 who knows how to wait for his opportunity and moves well. He reminds me of Raúl, always in the right position, waiting for the opportunity, getting chances and fighting for them. I’m very happy for him, and we need more of him.’
Asked whether García will remain in his squad next season, Alonso said: ‘There are no decisions regarding the start of the 2025–26 season… we’re focused on the Club World Cup with who we have. The Club World Cup tells you things, but there’s no decision.’
Real Madrid face the winners of Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey in the quarter-finals this weekend.
