PREVIEW: Real Madrid vs Osasuna – including star players, kick-off time and how to watch the game | OneFootball

Managerial debuts await Xabi Alonso and Alessio Lisci on Tuesday as Real Madrid and Osasuna open their league campaigns against each other.

With La Liga kicking off this weekend and Barcelona already looking to continue their dominance from last season, the challenge now falls to Alonso’s reshaped Madrid side to keep pace.

Alonso’s appointment has brought some change in the old guard, with Luka Modric leaving sunny Madrid for the Italian giants AC Milan on a free transfer. Lucas Vasquez has also followed suit, but has failed to find a club as of now.

There have been a handful of arrivals for Real, with the former Liverpool star right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, young upcoming centre back Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth and attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono from River Plate being the big incomings.

Alesio Lisci, 39, was appointed manager of Osasuna at the end of last season after a rewarding season with CD Mirandes.

He finds himself with an exciting squad that almost achieved European football last season, missing out due to goal difference.

Osasuna haven’t made a bucketload of signings like their opponents this week, with Victor Munoz, a wiry left winger and right back Valentin Rosier signing for them this season.

They have parted ways with several experienced and important players ahead of the new season, most notably right-back Jesús Arezo, who joined Athletic Bilbao for £10.3 million (€12 million).

Real are at their cavernous home, Santiago Bernabéu, and will fancy getting their campaign underway with a win on Tuesday evening.

It should be an interesting affair as Osasuna are a tough side to beat and have proven that over the last few years. Alonso, who joined over the summer after a successful run at Bayer Leverkusen, will have to prove himself in the Champions League as well with the Spanish giants this year.

It will be a battle between young managers as both Lisci and Alonso are newbies on the European managers spectrum.

A new look for Real’s frontline

There will be a new number nine for Real this season. The promotion of Gonzalo Garcia, a tenacious striker with a sharp eye for goals, will be something Los Blancos will look forward to.

His streaky goals and overall performances in the recent Club World Cup have given the fanbase enough reasons to be excited. Previously a Castilla player, Garcia will look to replicate his Club World Cup performances in the league this year.

There will be questions regarding his dynamic on the pitch with the team’s stars, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Carlo Ancelotti struggled to fit Vinicius Jr. and Mbappe in the same eleven as it caused positional issues, but with Rodrygo’s future uncertain, maybe Alonso could find a way to fit all his stars onto the pitch.

Madrid’s midfield reset

Ahead of the new season, there will be huge hole in the midfield for Real Madrid. The loss of Modric, while necessary and anticipated, will be difficult to recover from.

While Real do not lack any quality in the midfield, the dynamism and experience by Modric will be sorely missed this season.

Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton were some names linked to replace Modric, however, nothing concrete has materialised with less than two weeks of the transfer window left.

Player to watch: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Every player Real sign is a special player to watch out for, but with the behind-the-scenes stories for this transfer, Alexander-Arnold’s name stands upfront.

Signed on a free transfer from Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real was one of the most talked-about transfers in this window.

With Vasquez, a winger turned right back, leaving on a free, and Dani Carvajal not getting any younger, Alexander-Arnold’s arrival provides an attacking boost to Alonso’s side.

An injury to the anterior cruciate ligament kept the veteran Carvajal on the sidelines last year, and this year his spot in the side will most likely be occupied by Alexander-Arnold.

There have been many questions raised about the former Liverpool man’s defensive ability, especially handling one-on-one situations against a winger.

His tendency to commit to the tackle early leaves him on the backfoot more often that not. That may be a concern for Los Merengues moving forward but his attacking contributions will be what he will laud himself upon.

His exceptional crossing and passing ability will most certainly be an asset for Real this season and with Spain being a heaven for technical players, his attacking talents will only blossom.

When does the match kick off?

Kick-off for Real Madrid’s first La Liga game of the 2025/26 season against Osasuna is scheduled for 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST] on Tuesday 19th August 2025.

How to watch the game

The game will be shown on Premier Sport in the UK. Plus LaLigaTV for international viewers. FromTheSpot will also provide extensive coverage of the build-up and the match itself on FromTheSpot.co.uk.