Gonzalo named Player of the Match: "It's special to start a game in this jersey, it means the world to me"
"We really put the pressure on in the second half and deserved the three points," said the scorer of the game's opening goal.
Gonzalo was voted as the best player in the clash between Real Madrid and Al Hilal in the Club World Cup opener. The forward made it 1-0, having started the flowing move inside his own half, before rushing forward to finish off the counter thanks to Rodrygo's inch-perfect pass. Following the final whistle, he reflected: "We grew into the game and got better as it went on, trying to get to grips with the pitch, the heat and the circumstances. We took the lead and then we really upped the pressure in the second half and perhaps we deserved to take the three points. But we're happy with the performance, it's just a shame we couldn't get the win."
Opening goal of the Xabi Alonso era
“It's special, not only to score the first goal under Xabi Alonso. It was a special game for me because it's my first start in this jersey, which means the world to me. I hope I can continue to get more minutes under my belt and make a contribution to the team."
The move that opened the scoring
“It all happened pretty quickly. I found a pass to Vini Jr. and then it was a nice counter-attack involving several teammates that luckily ended up in a goal."
Chat to Xabi in the cooling break
“He just told me to stay up on the last defender, fixing the centre-backs, ready to pounce on any ball in behind or a defensive error to get the goal."
Academy graduate contributions
“Asencio is a great teammate. He's shown, just like all of us who made our debuts this season, that he's ready and capable. All the academy players, the guys at Castilla, Real Madrid C, the Under-19s, have shown they can contribute. I'm pleased for myself, for Asencio and for the other guys who have also got some game time."