Bounou's comments after his heroic save against Real Madrid

Saudi club Al-Hilal made a promising start to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by holding Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw on the opening day of the group stage. It was a well-deserved result, earned after an intense and tactically disciplined match.

Real Madrid took the lead in the 34th minute thanks to their young winger Gonzalo García. Al-Hilal's response was swift: Ruben Neves equalized from the penalty spot in the 41st minute. Both teams headed into the break level.

In the second half, Real Madrid ramped up the pressure, but Al-Hilal’s players stood their ground with courage and determination. The pivotal moment came in stoppage time: Federico Valverde won a penalty, but Yassine Bounou stepped up and denied Madrid’s attempt in the 90+2nd minute, securing a precious point for his team.

Bounou's comments after his heroic save

The "Atlas Lions" goalkeeper told reporters after the match: "I've played many games against Real Madrid, but today’s was one of the toughest against such a great team."

Speaking about his decisive save, he added: "I just did what I had to do."

He continued: "I always say that penalties are a mix of instinct and luck, right? Against Real, I had to save it, and that's what I did."

He went on to explain: "The key factor was tactical. We played smart. When we needed to press, we did. And when it was time to defend, we fought hard."

Finally, he concluded: "We suffered physically, just like Real Madrid. We made several substitutions with twenty minutes left. Technically, our players showed a very high level. I’m satisfied."

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Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.