Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal in their opening fixture of the 2025 Club World Cup on Wednesday night, missing a chance to take all three points after Federico Valverde failed to convert a penalty.
The match began with Al Hilal showing early aggression and threatening to take the lead with several promising attacks. However, it was the European giants who struck first when Gonzalo Garcia finished off an impressive team move to put Real Madrid ahead.
The Saudi side managed to equalize before halftime through a penalty. Real Madrid's Raul Asencio lost possession carelessly and subsequently pulled Marcos Leonardo's shirt in an attempt to recover, leaving the referee with no option but to award a spot kick. Former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves stepped up and successfully converted, sending goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois the wrong way.
Xabi Alonso's men had a golden opportunity to secure victory when they were awarded a penalty of their own in the second half. However, Valverde's effort was brilliantly saved by Al Hilal goalkeeper Bono, ensuring the points were shared.
The draw puts pressure on Real Madrid in their campaign to win the Club World Cup, a tournament they will be eager to add to their extensive trophy collection.
It's worth noting that Real Madrid were without star forward Kylian Mbappé for this crucial encounter, which may have affected their attacking potency against the well-organized Saudi champions.
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