Three things you might have missed from Real Madrid 1-0 Osasuna | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid started the new La Liga campaign with a victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The three points came through a Kylian Mbappe penalty, which arrived late in the match. While the result was positive, the overall performance fell short of expectations.

Many fans anticipated an exciting and dominant display under Alonso’s leadership, but the team struggled against Osasuna’s organised defensive structure.

Alonso did not make any surprises in his first starting XI of the season, sticking with the same line-up from the WSG Tirol friendly. The only change was Federico Valverde stepping in for Dani Ceballos.

On the other side, Osasuna had a very simple game plan – sit deep, stay compact, and hit on the counter. They left the ball to Madrid, which exposed the Whites’ main weakness, their lack of creativity in midfield.

The passing was slow and predictable, often ending with crosses into the box despite the absence of a traditional number nine.

Mbappe worked tirelessly across the front line, with Carreras also offering support both out wide and centrally, but the team could not find rhythm from open play.

With all said and done, here we look at three incidents that you might have missed from the game.

Rodrygo and Endrick’s reaction capture

One of the most talked-about moments of the night was not on the scoresheet but on the bench. Rodrygo was once again left out of the starting eleven by Alonso and did not feature at all in the second half.

Instead, Alonso placed his trust in new faces such as Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia. Both had shown promise during the Club World Cup, and Alonso rewarded them with valuable minutes.

When Gonzalo was substituted, cameras caught reactions from both Rodrygo and Endrick. Rodrygo looked frustrated, while Endrick, who is recovering from injury and watched from the stands, also reacted with surprise.

These scenes highlighted the growing competition for attacking roles under Alonso. It is clear that the coach is keen to give the younger players opportunities, even if it means established stars like Rodrygo may see reduced minutes.

Bernabeu’s reaction to Mastantuono’s debut

The match also saw Franco Mastantuono making his debut and it is safe to assume that the 18-year-old did not disappoint.

Mastantuono’s debut gave fans something to cheer about. The young Argentine showed confidence and composure in his 23-minute appearance. His numbers told the story:

89% pass accuracy, 100% shot accuracy, 3 touches inside the box, 1/2 successful take-ons, 1/2 successful crosses, 100% tackles won, 2/4 ground duels won, 2 ball recoveries

The Bernabeu crowd gave him a warm welcome, and his performance suggested he could become an important figure for Madrid moving forward.

A glimpse of the new Bernabeu

Off the pitch, Real Madrid also showcased improvements at their home ground.

Real Madrid TV presented the club’s new player tunnel, which has been redesigned as part of the ongoing renovation project at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A key highlight of the new tunnel is an inspirational message painted on the wall: “No player is as good as all of you together.”

This small detail reflects the unity that Alonso wants to instil in his team – the idea that collective effort is more important than individual brilliance.

It also adds to the modern look of the stadium, which continues to evolve into one of the most advanced arenas in world football.