In just his first major test since taking charge, Alonso watched on as Madrid were outplayed and overwhelmed by a PSG side brimming with cohesion, intensity, and clinical edge. Two goals inside the opening nine minutes effectively settled the tie before it had even begun, with Madrid struggling to regain composure or control throughout.

Speaking after the defeat, Alonso didn't sugar-coat the performance.

"It was a painful defeat - we weren't at the standard required today," the former midfield maestro admitted. "But moments like these can serve as the clearest lessons. We now have to draw from this and begin building something new."

Alonso's decision to move away from a back-five system - forced in part by the absence of Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold - proved costly. PSG exploited the lack of defensive structure early, and Madrid never looked like recovering. While Alonso made adjustments as the game wore on, the French champions were simply a class above.

This loss comes at the tail end of a transitional season for Real Madrid. With Carlo Ancelotti's final campaign yielding no silverware, the club now finds itself in unfamiliar territory: at the beginning of a rebuild. Alonso's appointment was widely seen as a bold yet calculated step toward long-term renewal. But as Wednesday's defeat showed, the road back to the top will not be a short one.

"We're entering a new era with fresh minds," Alonso said. "We need to become a team that plays as one, that grows together. That's our next step."

Asked whether PSG are currently the best team in the world, Alonso didn't hesitate: "I'd say yes. They've been together for years and play at an incredibly high level. They work as a team and they're tough to play against. That's the benchmark for us now."

The Club World Cup exit leaves Madrid with only preparation ahead, as they shift their focus toward the 2025/26 season. For Alonso and his staff, the work begins immediately - retooling a squad with promise but plenty of gaps, instilling a new tactical identity, and reestablishing Madrid's competitive edge at the highest level.

There are no shortcuts back to the top. But in the aftermath of a humbling defeat, the message from Madrid's new leader was clear: the rebuild is underway - and the standard has been set.

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