Dean Huijsen is delighted to be working under a coach of Xabi Alonso’s calibre as the defender looks forward to his Real Madrid debut.
After a hugely successful spell in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso joined Madrid at the end of May, replacing Carlo Ancelotti.
Huijsen became the first signing of the Alonso era, with Madrid paying €59.5m (£50m) to bring in the centre-back from Bournemouth.
Along with fellow new addition Trent Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen is in line to make his Madrid bow in Los Blancos’ opening Club World Cup game against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on Wednesday.
And Huijsen is relishing the chance to play for Alonso.
“He is a good coach with clear ideas,” said Huijsen.
“Everyone knows what he has been, and what he is.
“As a coach he’s accomplished great things, and as a player the same. We’re all excited.”
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Kylian Mbappe, however, may not feature in Alonso’s first match in charge, after the France star missed training on Tuesday.
According to ESPN, Mbappe was suffering with a fever.
Mbappe may not be the only player getting hot under the collar for Madrid, whose game against Al-Hilal will kick-off in the middle of the afternoon local time in Miami, with conditions expected to be sweltering.
“The truth is that the heat is counterproductive at times, but for our opponents too,” Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos said.
“We’re training at these times, and we want to be ‘comfortable’ within that discomfort.”
