Real Madrid picked up their first win at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 with a 3-1 victory over Pachuca at Hard Rock Stadium, despite being forced to play nearly the entire match with 10 men after Raul Asencio‘s early dismissal. The young defender faced sharp criticism, as Madrid star Thibaut Courtois didn’t hold back in his postgame comments.
After Asencio was sent off just seven minutes into the match, Real Madrid had to regroup quickly. Courtois rose to the occasion, delivering a standout performance with 10 saves to keep Pachuca from taking advantage of the numerical edge.
Speaking to DAZN at halftime, Courtois addressed the situation directly: “It’s two games and the same kind of mistake happened both times, which may be minor, but we have to be a bit smarter and avoid making those errors.”
In Madrid’s opening game against Al Hilal, Asencio had already committed a costly foul, conceding a penalty that allowed the Saudi side to equalize. Now, his early red card has added another blemish to what has been a rough Club World Cup outing for the academy product.
Despite the pointed criticism, Courtois made it clear the team still stands behind their young defender. “He knows it, there’s no problem. We’re going to fight for him and win without him. And then, when he comes back, we’ll keep on winning,” the goalie ended.
see also
Xabi Alonso recovers key Real Madrid player prior to FIFA Club World Cup 2025 game vs. Pachuca
Asencio’s red card also set a new record: it’s now the earliest red card ever shown in the history of official intercontinental club competitions, in any format, dating back to their inception in July 1960. The previous record belonged to Matheus Pereira of Al Hilal, who was sent off in the 14th minute of the 2022 Club World Cup third-place match.
Bellingham cools the situation down
Jude Bellingham, who was named Superior Player of the Match after scoring the opener in the 35th minute and anchoring Madrid’s midfield with only 10 men, offered a more measured take in his postgame press conference.
“It was a mistake by all of us. We were left a man down because a disadvantage arose and Asencio had to commit the foul. We knew how to adjust and turn the situation around,” he added, praising the team’s response under pressure. Now Real Madrid, placed at the top of Group H, will have to work on replacing Asencio for Matchday 3 against RB Salzburg.
