Real Madrid start their delayed 2025/26 La Liga campaign at home to Osasuna on August 19.
On the back of reaching the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals this summer, Los Blancos had requested their first game of the season be pushed back to the second weekend on the schedule.
That suggestion was rejected by league organisers but with a compromise reached whereby they fill an unusual midweek slot in the Spanish capital.
There have been plenty of changes at the Santiago Bernabeu in recent months, with Xabi Alonso taking over from Carlo Ancelotti, and new faces added to his squad.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the standout new signing, alongside Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras, and Alonso will field a new-look defence in their opener.
FOLLOW LIVE: Minute-by-minute updates and highlights from Real Madrid vs. Osasuna
Real Madrid vs. Osasuna lineups: Starting XI, team news, injury latest
Alonso's plans have been impacted by a reduced preseason and a host of injury concerns, including Jude Bellingham, who is out for three months after shoulder surgery. Real Madrid opted to have Bellingham do his surgery after the Club World Cup, meaning he will be out for a number of weeks to begin the league season.
French duo Eduardo Camavinga and Ferland Mendy are sidelined for this clash and Antonio Rudiger is serving a suspension carried over from last season. New signing Alvaro Carreras slots straight in at left-back with the options at the position extremely limited.
Club World Cup top goal scorer Gonzalo Garcia must wait a bit longer to be a firmly entrenched starter for the team, despite his breakout summer.
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Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3): Courtois (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Militao, Carreras — Guler, Tchouameni, Valverde — B. Diaz, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid subs: Lunin (GK), Mestre (GK), Carvajal, Alaba, F. Garcia, Asensio, Ceballos, Rodrygo, Mastantuono, Thiago, G. Garcia.
Injured: Bellingham (shoulder), Camavinga (ankle), Mendy (muscle)
Suspended: Rudiger
Osasuna narrowly missed out on the European qualification spots at the end of last season and Alessio Lisci has bolstered his squad over the summer.
Victor Munoz has joined from Real Madrid's youth ranks and was thought to be in contention for a swift debut against his old club, but instead takes up a place on the bench. There is a debut, however, as right-back Valentin Rosier starts after joining from Leganes on a free.
Osasuna starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Herrera (GK) — Rosier, Boyomo, Catena, Cruz — Torro, R. Garcia — Moncayola, Oroz, Bretones — Budimir.
Osasuna subs: Fernandez (GK), Stamatakis (GK), Herrando, I. Munoz, Raul Garcia, Barja, M. Gomez, V. Munoz, Mauro, Osambela, Chasco.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Real Madrid vs. Osasuna match details
- Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 5 a.m. AEST (August 20)
- Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
- Competition: La Liga
- Referee: Adrian Cordero Vega
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