Xabi Alonso returns to the Bernabéu for the start of LaLiga | OneFootball

Interview

The match promises spectacle and intensity for this season’s first meeting at the Bernabéu.

Xabi Alonso returns to the Bernabéu for the start of LaLiga

On August 19, Real Madrid hosts Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu to kick off the LaLiga season. Both sides, having changed managers this summer, are chasing their first three points.

In the pre-match press conference, Xabi Alonso highlighted Franco Mastantuono, Madrid’s new €45 million signing:

Among other young talents, Thiago Pitarch—who can play in midfield or on the left wing—could also make his debut, while Álvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen are included in the squad for this match.

As for his return to the Santiago Bernabéu, Xabi Alonso says he’s ready to reconnect with the home fans more than a decade after leaving as a player:

On the Osasuna side, there’s concern after a preseason with just one win in five matches. The team led by Alessio Lisci will need to be defensively solid and manage the pressure of facing Real Madrid.