Real Madrid began their 2025–26 La Liga campaign with a hard-fought yet satisfying 1–0 home victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu on August 19, 2025.
The only goal of the match came six minutes into the second half when Kylian Mbappé coolly converted a penalty after drawing the foul himself, providing a confident start to Xabi Alonso’s first league game in charge .
Despite dominating possession in the opening period, Real Madrid found it difficult to penetrate Osasuna’s disciplined defensive setup. The breakthrough ultimately arrived through Mbappé’s spot-kick, and although Real pushed for a second, including efforts from Arda Güler and debutant Franco Mastantuono, the score remained unchanged .
Defensively, the match was tight and largely uneventful until stoppage time, when Osasuna’s Abel Bretones was shown a red card for violent conduct, adding a late dramatic twist . The win also keeps Real Madrid’s remarkable streak alive: they have now avoided defeat on their opening day for the 17th consecutive season, a run dating back to 2008 .
Strategically, Xabi Alonso picked up a valuable first victory despite some struggles breaking down the opponent’s low block.
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