Real Madrid vs Osasuna: Resumen

In a tense season opener at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid secured a narrow 1-0 victory over CA Osasuna to kick off their 2025-26 La Liga campaign. Under the floodlights of a warm August evening in Madrid, the hosts struggled to break down a stubborn Osasuna defense until Kylian Mbappé converted from the penalty spot in the 51st minute, sending goalkeeper Sergio Herrera the wrong way after being fouled by Juan Cruz in the area.

The atmosphere was electric as 68,407 fans welcomed new manager Xabi Alonso for his competitive debut at the helm of Los Blancos. The former midfield maestro, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti this summer, watched his star-studded team dominate possession but struggle to create clear-cut chances against Alessio Lisci's well-organized visitors.

Despite fielding an attack featuring Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and summer signing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Madrid found themselves frustrated for long periods. The introduction of teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono late in the game nearly doubled the advantage, but his curling effort struck the post.

Osasuna's resistance was finally broken by a moment of Mbappé brilliance, as the Frenchman won and converted the decisive penalty. The visitors' task became even more difficult when Abel Bretones received a straight red card in stoppage time for an elbow on Madrid's Gonzalo García, ending any hopes of a late equalizer.

This result puts Real Madrid in 6th position in the early La Liga standings, while Osasuna sits in 13th. For Alonso, it's a winning start, if not entirely convincing, as he begins the enormous task of challenging for domestic and European honors with the Spanish giants. The match showcased the potential and challenges that lie ahead for both teams in what promises to be an intriguing season.

"We're satisfied with the three points, but we know there's room for improvement. Starting the season with a win is always important, regardless of the performance. Kylian showed his quality when it mattered, and I'm pleased with how the team maintained concentration throughout the match. We'll build from here." - Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid coach

"I'm proud of my players tonight. We executed our game plan almost perfectly against one of the best teams in the world. The penalty was unfortunate, but that's football. With ten men in the final minutes, we showed character. This performance gives us confidence for the season ahead." - Alessio Lisci, CA Osasuna coach

"Scoring on my official debut for this historic club is a dream come true. The penalty was a big responsibility, but I felt confident. We know we need to be more clinical in front of goal, but this is just the beginning. The connection with the fans was incredible tonight." - Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid forward

"We defended well as a unit for most of the game. The red card wasn't reflective of our approach—we came here to compete, not to destroy. Madrid have incredible quality, but we showed we can compete against the best teams." - Ante Budimir, Osasuna striker

"Real Madrid's attacking talent is undeniable, but they lacked cohesion today. Alonso has implemented some interesting ideas already, but it will take time for this team to reach its full potential. Osasuna deserve credit for their defensive organization under Lisci." - Jorge Valdano, football analyst and former Real Madrid player

Ball Possession: Real Madrid 71% - 29% CA Osasuna

Shots on Target: Real Madrid 5 - 1 CA Osasuna

Total Shots: Real Madrid 17 - 4 CA Osasuna

Corners: Real Madrid 8 - 2 CA Osasuna

Yellow Cards: Real Madrid 1 (Tchouameni) - 3 CA Osasuna (Torró, Moncayola, Catena)

Red Cards: Real Madrid 0 - 1 CA Osasuna (Abel Bretones)

Fouls: Real Madrid 7 - 14 CA Osasuna

Key Individual Statistics:

• Kylian Mbappé: 1 goal, 4 shots, 3 on target, 2 key passes
• Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6 crosses, 92% pass completion, 2 chances created
• Thibaut Courtois: 1 save, 12 accurate long balls
• Aurélien Tchouameni: 11 ball recoveries, 95% pass completion
• Ante Budimir: 2 shots, 23 touches, 6 aerial duels won
• Sergio Herrera: 4 saves, 1 penalty conceded

The statistical dominance of Real Madrid was evident throughout the match against CA Osasuna, particularly in possession and attacking metrics. However, the efficiency of the home side's attacks was questionable, with only 5 shots finding the target despite 17 attempts. La Liga standards typically demand higher conversion rates, especially from a team with Madrid's firepower. Osasuna's defensive discipline was reflected in their 21 clearances and 6 blocked shots, demonstrating their commitment to frustrating their illustrious opponents.

3' - Early chance for Real Madrid as Vinícius Júnior's cross finds Mbappé, but his header goes narrowly wide.

19' - Osasuna's first threat comes through Ante Budimir, whose shot from the edge of the box is comfortably saved by Courtois.

32' - Lucas Torró receives the first yellow card of the match for a late challenge on Federico Valverde, stopping a promising Madrid counter-attack.

45+2' - Halftime: Real Madrid 0-0 CA Osasuna. The hosts dominate possession but struggle to break down Osasuna's compact defensive structure.

49' - Penalty to Real Madrid! Kylian Mbappé is brought down by Juan Cruz after a quick one-two with Vinícius Júnior.

51' - GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 CA Osasuna. Mbappé converts the penalty with confidence, sending Herrera the wrong way and slotting into the bottom-left corner.

63' - Double substitution for Madrid: Brahim Díaz and Arda Güler make way for Endrick and Gonzalo García, as Alonso looks to add fresh legs to the attack.

72' - Tactical shift by Osasuna as Lisci moves to a 5-3-1 formation, bringing on defensive reinforcements to try and secure a point.

83' - Madrid's new signing Franco Mastantuono enters for his debut, replacing Federico Valverde.

88' - Mastantuono nearly doubles Madrid's lead, hitting the post with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

90+2' - Red card for Osasuna! Abel Bretones is sent off for an elbow on Gonzalo García during an aerial challenge.

90+5' - Full-time: Real Madrid 1-0 CA Osasuna. Xabi Alonso's era begins with three points, though his team will know they need to be more clinical going forward in future La Liga fixtures.

The historical rivalry between Real Madrid and CA Osasuna has traditionally favored the capital club, and this latest encounter continued that trend. Prior to this match, Madrid had won 36 of their 57 La Liga meetings, with Osasuna claiming just 9 victories and 12 draws completing the record.

At the Bernabéu specifically, Osasuna's record has been particularly poor, with their last victory in Madrid coming in April 2004 when they secured a surprise 3-0 win. Since then, Real Madrid has dominated this fixture on home soil, winning 16 of the subsequent 21 matches.

Last season's encounters saw Madrid win both matches: a comfortable 4-1 victory at the Bernabéu and a tighter 2-0 win at El Sadar. Today's narrow 1-0 scoreline represents a slightly improved performance from Osasuna compared to recent visits to the capital.

On the pitch, the individual battle between Kylian Mbappé and Osasuna's center-back pairing of Catena and Enzo Boyomo proved decisive. Mbappé's pace and movement eventually drew the crucial penalty, though the Osasuna defenders can take credit for limiting his impact from open play.

Another fascinating duel developed between Madrid's new right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and Osasuna's left-winger Rubén García. The English international showcased his crossing ability with several dangerous deliveries, but García's defensive discipline helped nullify some of this threat.

In midfield, Aurélien Tchouameni dominated against Lucas Torró and Jon Moncayola, controlling the tempo and providing the platform for Madrid's attacks. This midfield superiority has been a consistent feature of recent Madrid-Osasuna encounters and proved crucial again in securing the three points for the hosts.

After the opening round of the 2025-26 La Liga season, Real Madrid finds themselves in 6th position with 3 points, level with several other teams who secured victories in their first matches. The goal difference of +1 places them in the middle of the winning teams, behind those who recorded more convincing victories on the opening weekend.

CA Osasuna sits in 13th place with 0 points but a respectable -1 goal difference that keeps them ahead of teams who suffered heavier defeats. In this early stage of the La Liga table, positions are extremely fluid, with significant movement expected in the coming weeks.

For Real Madrid, this opening win provides a solid foundation for their title challenge, though Barcelona and Atlético Madrid also started with victories, suggesting another tight race at the top of the table. The three points against a traditionally difficult opponent like Osasuna could prove valuable in what promises to be a competitive season.

Osasuna's performance, despite the defeat, indicates they have the defensive organization to avoid relegation trouble, with their position of 13th likely to improve once they face less formidable opposition. Their pre-season target of mid-table security remains realistic based on this showing against one of the league's elite teams.

With 37 matches still to play, these early La Liga standings offer little more than a psychological advantage, but starting with points on the board was clearly the priority for Xabi Alonso as he begins his Madrid managerial career.