Key Takeaways:
- Real Madrid edged past Osasuna 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in their first La Liga fixture of the season
- Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 51st minute
- Osasuna were reduced to ten men after Bretonés was dismissed in added time
Match Summary and Tactical Overview
Real Madrid began their La Liga season with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu to conclude the opening round of matches. Kylian Mbappé provided the decisive moment with a confidently taken penalty early in the second half after being fouled by Juan Cruz.
Xabi Alonso, making his home debut as Real Madrid manager, saw his side control possession for large stretches, although it was apparent the team lacked full match sharpness following a shortened pre-season. The club’s request to postpone this fixture due to recent Club World Cup commitments and a truncated pre-season—just two weeks of preparation—was rejected by the Spanish Federation, resulting in the match taking place as planned.
😍 So great to see you again, Madridistas! 😍 pic.twitter.com/bnFWZBEzJh
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 19, 2025
Team Selection and New Arrivals
Alonso was without Antonio Rüdiger (suspension), Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy (all injured). Despite these absences, three new signings—Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Álvaro Carreras—featured in the starting eleven, while Franco Mastantuono began on the bench and entered the fray during the second half. The only alteration from the most recent friendly against Tirol was Valverde starting ahead of Ceballos. Up front, Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Brahim Díaz led the line, with Rodrygo again among the substitutes.
Match Analysis and Key Moments
Álvaro Carreras registered the first effort in the seventh minute, sending his shot wide. Real steadily assumed control, intensifying pressure in Osasuna’s half. Sergio Herrera was called into action in the 18th minute to divert a long-range attempt from Dean Huijsen, while further efforts from Vinícius and Militão forced more saves from the Osasuna goalkeeper.
Mbappé’s openings in the first half went unconverted, notably missing the target from the penalty area in the 34th minute. Just before the interval, Vinícius’s appeal for a penalty following Boyomo’s contact was dismissed by the officials.
The breakthrough arrived in the 51st minute: Mbappé won and converted a penalty after being brought down by Juan Cruz, calmly slotting the ball past Herrera. The goal injected confidence into Real Madrid, and moments later, Arda Güler threatened with a powerful strike over the bar.
Osasuna’s first significant spell in the opposition box came in the 65th minute, but they could not capitalise. Alonso introduced Carvajal and handed Mastantuono his debut, with the young Argentine almost scoring after a Vinícius cross was cleared to a corner by Lucas Torró in the 74th minute. Another opportunity fell to Mastantuono in the 90th minute, but his shot from a tight angle was kept out by Herrera.
Osasuna, under new head coach Alessio Lisci, lined up with three central defenders and gave a debut to Valentin Rosier. Their main forward, Ante Budimir, almost grabbed a late equaliser with a header that deflected over via Gonzalo García.
Bretonés received a straight red card in stoppage time after an incident involving Gonzalo García’s face, leaving Osasuna with ten men to finish the match.
Statistics and Historical Context
Real Madrid extended their unbeaten streak against Osasuna in La Liga matches to 21. The hosts registered 18 shots, five on target, but ultimately only found the net from the penalty spot. Osasuna, contrastingly, finished a pre-season featuring six friendlies with just one win, two draws, and three defeats, whereas Real’s sole pre-season fixture saw them defeat Tirol 4-0 after their 0-4 semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup.
| Statistic | Real Madrid | Osasuna |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 0 |
| Total Shots | 18 | 2 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 0 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 (Bretonés) |
| Key Penalty | 1 (Mbappé, 51′) | 0 |
| Starting Debutants | Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras | Valentin Rosier |
Looking Ahead
While Real Madrid began the campaign with a win despite their lack of rhythm and absentees, Xabi Alonso will aim to build cohesion and sharpened attacking edge as the season advances, with key players set to return and new signings continuing their adaptation.
