Real Madrid travel to Austria to face WSG Tirol on Tuesday (19:00, La1 and RMTV) in a rare early-season friendly that underlines the extraordinary start to Xabi Alonso’s tenure. The new coach has been forced into immediate management with barely any preparation time: he arrived having spent just three days working with the full squad at the Club World Cup and now faces a preseason reduced to around 15 days after LaLiga president Javier Tebas and the Competition Committee declined to postpone the season opener against Osasuna following FIFA’s calendar squeeze.
Alonso’s situation echoes the strangeness of the first summer of the pandemic in 2020, when Madrid only played one closed-door workout game. The difference now is that the squad and staff are newly changed and must build cohesion fast. Modern preseasons often feature high-profile, revenue-generating friendlies against elite opponents; by contrast, Madrid’s televised opponent this week is a modest Austrian side. WSG Tirol rose through Austria’s lower divisions and only returned to the top flight in 2019; the club is based in Innsbruck, a city better known for skiing than football.
Training so far
– Alonso has overseen nine training sessions (two days included double sessions), some in high heat, as he races to instill ideas.
– One session last Thursday included a closed-doors practice match against Leganés (4-1) played without fans or images, reminiscent of pandemic-era secrecy.
– Several key players will miss the Austria trip: Federico Valverde (overload), Eduardo Camavinga (ankle sprain), Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy and Endrick.
Comparative context
– Barcelona began preseason on July 13 and have already played four friendlies, including a challenging Asia tour; Atlético Madrid have had three weeks of preparation and a couple of friendly matches; Osasuna, Madrid’s opening LaLiga opponent, have played six. European rivals Chelsea and PSG have had two and one weeks respectively, but both arrive with coaching continuity and recent titles.
How Alonso is coping
Alonso has had to accelerate relationship-building and tactical work. The intensive US camp — long days of shared meals and hotel life — fast-tracked team bonding and allowed frequent video work. Alonso has stressed the role of video analysis and efficient use of time: with players together in the evenings, he can reinforce ideas quickly. His previous arrival at Leverkusen (in October 2022) was also mid-stream, but that spell included a longer subsequent block without competitive matches that helped his ideas take root — a luxury he does not have now.
Additional comments and logical perspective
– The compressed schedule is largely a consequence of the global football calendar: international tournaments and FIFA scheduling left little room for an extended preseason, and domestic authorities chose not to delay the league opener. That decision benefits calendar continuity but increases risk that new systems and player fitness will be imperfect at the start of the season.
– Short, intensive preparation can work if structure, video reinforcement and senior player leadership are present. Alonso’s focus on video analysis and the concentrated US camp are practical responses that may mitigate the lack of match minutes.
– The absence of several starters for the Tirol trip reduces risk of aggravating injuries but limits opportunities to test key tactical relationships in match conditions. The next few weeks of domestic fixtures will therefore be crucial for ironing out details.
Summary of key facts
– Friendly: Real Madrid vs WSG Tirol in Austria, Tuesday at 19:00 (La1, RMTV).
– Xabi Alonso has had only a very brief preseason with the squad (nine sessions so far).
– Preseason curtailed to ~15 days after the refusal to postpone Madrid’s LaLiga opener vs Osasuna (decision by Javier Tebas and the Competition Committee).
– Several important players unavailable for the trip (Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham, Mendy, Endrick).
– WSG Tirol is a modest Austrian club promoted to the top flight in 2019; contrast with the high-profile friendlies Madrid usually play.
Hopeful angle
Despite the constraints, there are reasons for cautious optimism. The compressed US camp accelerated team bonding and modern video-based coaching can speed learning. Alonso’s clear emphasis on efficiency, combined with experienced players in the squad, could allow Madrid to convert intensive preparation into early-season cohesion. If the team capitalizes on focused training, it may overcome the limited match practice and still hit competitive form quickly.
Suggested angles to expand for publication
– A short profile of WSG Tirol to contextualize the opponent for readers unfamiliar with Austrian football.
– A follow-up piece tracking player fitness and minutes across the first two LaLiga matches to evaluate how well the rapid preseason translated into match readiness.
– A tactical primer on the specific systems Alonso has introduced, illustrated with quotes and video insights if available.
Overall, Alonso is navigating an unusually compressed and pressured start, but targeted use of training time and modern coaching tools give Madrid a plausible pathway to rapid adaptation.