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New Coach Xabi Alonso Faces Uphill Battle at Real Madrid
22 Aug
Summary
- Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Osasuna was unconvincing
- Midfield lacked balance, team vulnerable on the break
- Xabi Alonso has a lot of work to do to make Madrid competitive
As of August 22nd, 2025, Real Madrid have won their first game of the new season, but the performance was far from impressive. The 1-0 victory over Osasuna left much to be desired, and new coach Xabi Alonso has a significant challenge ahead to turn the team into a true title contender.
Fans hoping for signs of tactical innovation or a fresh approach were largely disappointed. Madrid fell back into familiar patterns, with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe frequently disagreeing on the pitch. The midfield lacked balance, and the team looked vulnerable to counterattacks at times. If Madrid want to compete for the league title, they will need to perform much more convincingly than this.
The good news is that it is still early in the season, and Alonso has time to work with the talented squad at his disposal. However, he will need to start piecing together a more coherent tactical plan, as relying solely on individual moments of magic will not be enough to sustain them throughout the campaign. The new coach has a significant challenge ahead, but with the quality of the Madrid squad, he has the tools to turn things around if he can get the team playing to their full potential.
