Xabi Alonso Keeps Real Madrid Balanced

The 1-0 victory over Osasuna marked the beginning of Xabi Alonso's coaching era in LaLiga with Real Madrid. A penalty kick by striker Kylian Mbappe in the 51st minute was enough for "Los Blancos" to start the 2025-2026 competitive season on a positive note.

The victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday (20/8/2025) early morning WIB was essential as eternal rival Barcelona won against Mallorca, 3-0. There are many differences with Real Madrid this time.

In addition to the arrival of several new players, it is also due to the absence of several star players, such as Antonio Rüdiger who is under a playing ban, as well as Jude Bellingham, Endrick, and Eduardo Camavinga who are injured.

Observing Madrid's performance in the first match, there is still much homework for Alonso if they wish to end Barcelona's dominance. They are still not very cohesive. Indeed, one of the difficulties for a star-studded club is how to balance the individualities of the players with the integrity of the team.

Alonso is aware of this. Tactically, Real Madrid's performance in the Club World Cup some time ago revealed how they would play. This playing pattern became increasingly evident when Los Blancos participated in pre-season friendly matches, one of which was a 4-0 victory against Tirol in Austria.

Alonso bases his playing philosophy on ball possession. Real Madrid will prioritize positional play, following the current trends in modern football, where individual players must sacrifice their egos for the collective interests of the team. Balancing individual statistics with team performance.

Alonso's philosophy became increasingly evident when facing Osasuna. They completed 54 passes in the first three minutes of the match, compared to six from their opponent. By the end of the first half, Real Madrid recorded a ball possession of up to 74 percent.

Despite this, the hosts' chances remain limited. This is understandable considering Alonso's new arrival at Madrid.

It was only in the second half that a golden opportunity to score arose when Osasuna player, Juan Cruz, recklessly fouled Mbappe in the penalty area in the 50th minute. Mbappe, who took the penalty, did not waste the opportunity to give his team the lead.

The complex pressing pattern of the hosts continued until the end of the match, in stark contrast to the dominant long-ball play of Osasuna. The high defensive line was designed not only to regain possession but also to protect Vinicius Jr and Mbappe from constant defensive duties. Nevertheless, with Alonso's philosophy, Vinicius inevitably had to sacrifice his ego to contribute more diligently to the defense.

In the 2024-2025 season, Vinicius's performance has significantly declined compared to the previous season, when he was a strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or. This season, alongside Mbappe and Bellingham, he will be expected to contribute more to the defense than during the coaching era of Carlo Ancelotti.

The cohesion between Vinicius and Mbappe has not always been well-established. Last season's squad was described as the most challenging team that Ancelotti has ever managed. Now, Alonso must ensure that the competing egos can unite rather than be divided.

After the match against Osasuna, Alonso acknowledged that there are still several aspects he needs to improve. "There are good things and also things we need to fix. After two weeks of preseason, our journey is still long. I think we are more organized, but we lack composure in the final third," Alonso said as quoted by the official Real Madrid website.

According to him, his players are still struggling against the low-block defense. "We're having trouble creating clear-cut chances. I'm confident that by improving both the good and bad points, we can find our rhythm," said the former Bayer Leverkusen coach.

Creativity is also a key term for Alonso. The loss of midfield generals of the caliber of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for two consecutive seasons will make it difficult for any team, including Real Madrid, to find suitable replacements. The arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold will not replace either of them, even though this player is known as one of the best attacking creators during his time at Liverpool.

Last season, Bellingham was forced to play while in pain, with too much tactical freedom. The result was inconsistency. Alonso wants to narrow his role, keeping him closer to the opponent's penalty box to support the striker in front of him. This is the role he played in his debut season at Madrid, with phenomenal results: the Champions League trophy and LaLiga.

Bellingham will be supported by Arda Guler in the midfield. Together with Aurelien Tchouameni, Ernesto Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga, they are expected to fill the void left by the legendary duo of Kroos-Modric.

Regarding Guler's role, Alonso stated that the player is beginning to understand his position in the midfield. "Arda Guler continues to develop. Not only in terms of quality, which has already been proven, but also in terms of his understanding of the position: how he provides stability, how he controls the game," said Alonso.

Alonso hopes that in the next two matches before the international break, his players will increasingly understand the playing philosophy he wishes to implement. Real Madrid will visit Oviedo's home this weekend, Monday (25/8/2025), before hosting Mallorca a week later.

"We have two matches before the break and we are in the phase of refinement. A victory gives you peace of mind to keep moving forward, of course," said Alonso. (BBC/AP/AFP)