Real Madrid wins, but... it's not quite satisfying yet

Real Madrid's opening victory in La Liga 2025/26 was far from convincing. While Los Blancos did secure their first three points, the new era has yet to make a strong impression, especially evident in the lack of chemistry between Vinicius and Mbappe, as well as the team's overall lack of fluidity in several positions.

The Vinicius - Mbappe Dilemma Continues

The French Star Kylian Mbappe stands out as the brightest spot in Xabi Alonso’s lineup, both winning a penalty and successfully converting it. On paper, Mbappe was positioned centrally in a 4-3-3 formation, but in reality, the number 10 roamed widely across the pitch, often drifting to the flanks. His dribbling and direct runs repeatedly disrupted the opposition’s packed defense, providing much-needed unpredictability.

Mbappe also made his mark with his strong duels and creative passes, opening up space for teammates. Besides his goal, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker had two more shots on target. Over the match, he touched the ball 71 times, completed 42 out of 47 passes (an 89% accuracy rate), made 2 key passes, succeeded in 8 out of 12 dribbles, and won 11 out of 16 duels.

However, with Mbappe playing this way, one wonders what role Vinicius has on the pitch. Overshadowed by Mbappe, Vinicius mainly operated down the left and occasionally cut inside, as he usually does. This differs from his previous style—before Mbappe’s arrival, Vinicius would often drive infield to join the attack and develop plays, but now his space is restricted. There were a few moments of good interplay between Mbappe and Vinicius, but not many. Given their similar playing tendencies, it’s inevitable that they sometimes get in each other's way. This leads to discomfort and prevents both from fully showcasing their abilities—in this match, Vinicius was the one who suffered most.

Xabi Alonso himself offered his initial thoughts on Real Madrid’s win over Osasuna: “There were many positives, starting with the result—which is the most important thing. Osasuna had more time to prepare in preseason and it showed; they are a very well-organized team. If we had scored early, the game might have been completely different. Real Madrid still has things to improve. The road ahead is long, but we maintained our structure. We lacked sharpness in the final third and struggled to create clear chances. I’m confident the team will improve and adapt better. We’re still a work in progress, but this win brings the calm we needed.”

Overall, with Jude Bellingham recovering from injury and Federico Valverde and Arda Guler still adjusting to Alonso’s new system, everything remains a work in progress. Alonso is building step by step with the current squad, and only time will provide the answers he needs.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's Issue

Beyond figuring out how to combine Mbappe and Vinicius, coach Xabi Alonso also needs to quickly unlock Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential. The Englishman joined Real from Liverpool for £10 million—a fee mainly to secure his early availability for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. However, during the tournament in the US, Trent’s role and influence were not particularly prominent. Recently, at the Bernabeu, Alexander-Arnold made his La Liga debut in Real’s 1-0 opening win over Osasuna.

Yet Alexander-Arnold’s performance has raised doubts. His greatest strength is crossing, but Real lacks a strong aerial striker to capitalize on this. Furthermore, his ability to read the game and deliver quick passes hasn't found its place in the current setup.

Many fans have mocked Alonso’s use of Alexander-Arnold on social media. They point out that Mbappe has never been known for his heading ability, and playing a traditional English wing style with a forward line that isn’t strong in the air doesn’t make sense for Real.

Some suggest that Real should use a striker like Gonzalo Garcia if they want to switch to an aerial game. Alonso seems aware of this weakness, as he moved Mbappe to the right flank during the match to create more unpredictability. This also opened up more space for Vinicius. Still, these are just temporary fixes, not long-term solutions. Perhaps Alonso should be bold and play his squad according to his own tactics, rather than trying to fit everyone in at once.

Real may have improved defensively, but the attack remains the area that most often decides a club’s fate. Now that Perez has given Alonso full authority over tactics and decisions, the Spanish coach should stay true to himself, just as he did during his brilliant spell at Leverkusen.

Related Articles

Al Nassr shocks by planning to buy Messi's 'teammate' for Ronaldo Al Nassr is reportedly looking to sign midfielder Exequiel Palacios—a 2022 World Cup champion and Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammate—to strengthen the midfield for Cristiano Ronaldo in the upcoming season. See more