Madrid, too, have taken on BVB in back-to-back seasons, most notably defeating the German side in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. Much has changed since that Wembley night, and Niko Kovač’s side are built to compromise the control Alonso wishes to oversee in games via slick counter-attacks.

Big clubs meeting in big matches. That's the recent history for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, who continue their rivalry in a Club World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday at East Rutherford, N.J.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso stated on Friday that he will make his decision on Saturday's lineup for the semifinal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at the last moment, after Kylian Mbappé recovered from his gastroenteritis.