Xabi Alonso Successfully Debuts in La Liga with Real Madrid: The Dawn of a New Era at the Bernabéu

Xabi Alonso‘s debut as Real Madrid manager has finally arrived. Appointed to replace Carlo Ancelotti, Alonso immediately faced high expectations: to bring Los Blancos back to dominating La Liga and the Champions League. The opening match of the 2025/26 season against Osasuna at Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday (19/8/2025) became the Spanish legend’s first stage in his new role. The result? Real Madrid won narrowly 1-0 thanks to a Kylian Mbappé penalty. Real Madrid is known as a club with an almost absolute standard of victory. It’s no surprise that Xabi Alonso’s debut at Real Madrid became a global highlight. In the match against Osasuna, Madrid indeed appeared dominant in ball possession but struggled to break down the opponent’s tight defense. (Reuters, 20/08)

The deadlock was finally broken in the 51st minute when Mbappé was fouled in the penalty box. The French star confidently converted the penalty, securing the first three points for Xabi Alonso in La Liga. (Managing Madrid, 20/08)

Xabi Alonso’s Strategy at Real Madrid

As a coach, Xabi Alonso is known for adhering to a modern philosophy: a combination of Pep Guardiola’s possession football with the rapid pressing he developed while managing Bayer Leverkusen. (Reuters, 20/08) In his debut with Madrid, Alonso’s strategy was clear: dominant ball possession, neat build-up from the back, active full-backs like Trent Alexander-Arnold, and high pressing when losing the ball. Although the final score was only 1-0, the foundation of Xabi Alonso’s strategy is believed to continue developing as the season progresses. (Managing Madrid, 20/08) As a former midfielder, Xabi Alonso has a distinctive vision: accurate ball distribution and tempo control. These values are now instilled in Real Madrid. This philosophy is reflected in the patience in building attacks and strong defensive discipline

Three new starters, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Álvaro Carreras, were immediately trusted. Alexander-Arnold provided circulation options on the right, while Huijsen and Militão maintained compactness in the box, and Carreras was active in progression from the left side. After the match, Alonso praised the composure of the newcomers. (Reuters, 20/08) From independent assessment, Mbappé was deemed the most decisive (winning & executing the penalty; eight successful dribbles), while Huijsen and Carreras were highlighted as the most prominent defenders thanks to their contributions to build-up and defensive stability. (Managing Madrid, 20/08) The substitution records reinforced the risk control narrative: Dani Carvajal replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold, Franco Mastantuono was given his debut minutes from the bench to add energy in midfield/attack, while other rotations maintained intensity. These substitutions were recorded in the official match sheet. (Transfermarkt, 20/08)

At the end of the match, Abel Bretones received a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct in injury time, a situation that helped Madrid manage the final moments without significant pressure. Mbappé’s penalty goal at the start of the second half immediately changed the dynamic of the game. Real Madrid began to play more freely, while Osasuna was forced out of their defensive zone to chase the deficit. Even so, statistics showed Osasuna still struggled to penetrate Madrid’s penalty box — they didn’t even record a single shot on target until the final whistle. Xabi Alonso then responded with tactical substitutions. Dani Carvajal came on for Trent Alexander-Arnold to add experience to the defense, while Franco Mastantuono was given his official debut minutes to maintain pressing intensity in midfield. These changes allowed Madrid to continue closing down Osasuna’s attacking spaces while maintaining balance in ball possession.

As the final minutes approached, the tension of the match increased. A frustrated Osasuna tried to increase pressure but lost a player. Abel Bretones received a red card in injury time for unsportsmanlike conduct, dashing their comeback hopes. Madrid then controlled the tempo with ball circulation in midfield to run down the clock. With the support of 68,407 spectators at the Bernabéu, Xabi Alonso closed his La Liga debut with a victory that may have been narrow but was full of meaning: full control, a clean sheet, and the first three points.

Xabi Alonso’s First Report Card

Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso immediately showed a clear playing identity. The team controlled the ball for almost the entire match, built attacks calmly from the back, and tightly closed down Osasuna’s transition gaps. As a result, the opponent was completely unable to get a single shot on target. The defensive structure when losing the ball , known as rest defense . worked perfectly from the first week.

Successes: territorial dominance (high possession), relatively clean ball circulation from the back, and Madrid’s ability to shut down Osasuna’s transitions (0 shots on target for the opponent). This shows Alonso’s rest-defense structure working in the first week.

Homework: effectiveness of quality shots from open play. With 18 attempts and only 1 goal via penalty, Madrid can still improve the quality of chance creation (final pass/occupation of half-spaces), especially when facing low blocks. Alonso admitted that the adaptation process is still ongoing and emphasized that the recruits are ready to shoulder their roles over time.

New Player Debuts in the Xabi Alonso Era

In addition to Alonso, several new players also made their debuts: Trent Alexander-Arnold was active on the right side, Dean Huijsen looked mature in defense, and Álvaro Carreras led in ball touches and progressive passes. Alonso praised their composure in facing the Bernabéu pressure. The match was also marred by an incident in the final minutes. Osasuna defender, Abel Bretones, was shown a red card in injury time. Nevertheless, Real Madrid managed to maintain their lead until the final whistle. (Reuters, 20/08) Under Alonso, the direction of play is beginning to show: more patient ball possession, more disciplined pressing, and the courage to trust new players. Names like Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, and Carreras immediately got playing time and were able to adapt to the grand atmosphere of the Bernabéu. And of course, there’s Mbappé, who immediately showed why he was signed. One chance, one goal, one win. Exactly what Madrid fans wanted.

This victory is indeed just the first step, but it’s enough to signal that the Xabi Alonso era at Real Madrid has truly begun.