A second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappé gave Real Madrid a winning start to their La Liga campaign, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.
The French striker, who was the league’s top scorer last season, won and converted the decisive spot-kick in the 51st minute to break the deadlock against a resilient Osasuna side. The victory marked a successful league debut for new Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso.
After a frustrating first half where Madrid dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances, Mbappé unlocked the defence with a skillful run into the penalty area, drawing a foul to earn the penalty. He calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to secure the three points.
The match was the first for Alonso as permanent head coach after he replaced the Brazil-bound Carlo Ancelotti. He handed competitive debuts to new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Álvaro Carreras from the start, while highly-rated 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono came off the bench in the second half.
Osasuna defended resolutely but offered little attacking threat. Their frustrating evening was compounded in stoppage time when defender Abel Bretones received a straight red card for a high arm.
“They dominated, we knew it was going to be like that,” Osasuna midfielder Rubén García said. “In the end, they deserved the victory.”
The match also fueled further speculation about the future of Madrid forward Rodrygo, who was an unused substitute.
Elsewhere on the opening weekend, defending champions Barcelona won 3-0 at Mallorca on Saturday, while Atlético Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat at Espanyol on Sunday.
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