Real Madrid kicked off their 2025/26 La Liga campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday night, thanks to a solitary Kylian Mbappé penalty. While the result secured Xabi Alonso’s first league win as Los Blancos’ head coach, the performance left much to be desired, as Madrid struggled to find rhythm and creativity against stubborn opposition.
Osasuna came into the game with a clear plan: sit deep, frustrate, and capitalise on Madrid’s errors. For much of the first half, it worked. Real had most of the possession but struggled to generate meaningful chances. Their brightest moment came from an unlikely source, 19-year-old defender Dean Huijsen, who forced a sharp save with a long-range strike.
The breakthrough came six minutes into the second half. Mbappe, who had been largely subdued in the opening period, sparked life into the contest with a dazzling dribble inside the box. His quick feet drew a clumsy challenge, leaving the referee with little hesitation in awarding a penalty which the French forward calmly slotted home.
From then on, Madrid looked for a second to put the game beyond doubt. Arda Guler came closest, firing just over after a neat move, while Mbappe probed down the right but never truly looked at his sharpest. Vinicius Junior combined well with his new strike partner at times but often lacked the killer pass or finish to cap off promising moves.
Alonso’s substitutions reflected pragmatism rather than ambition. With a one-goal lead, the new coach rotated his side, content to see out the result. Osasuna, meanwhile, never truly threatened Thibaut Courtois, who enjoyed one of the quieter evenings of his Real Madrid career. Their frustration boiled over late in the match when they were reduced to ten men following an off-the-ball incident, ending any hope of a dramatic equaliser.
