Only 41 days stand between Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup exit and the start of their 2025–26 La Liga campaign.
One month ago, Real Madrid were dreaming of lifting their first trophy under Xabi Alonso. The Spanish giants went on an unbeaten run in the United States and were one match away from the Club World Cup final.
Then, they got dismantled by defending European and French champions Paris Saint-Germain. Los Blancos suffered a 4–0 defeat to crash out of the Club World Cup in the semifinals, ending their 2024–25 campaign without a major title.
Nothing went right for Real Madrid on the day. Dean Huijsen was suspended, Trent Alexander-Arnold was injured and defensive blunders gifted PSG two goals. To make matters worse, Alonso started a perplexing front three of Kylian Mbappé, Gonzalo García and Vinícius Júnior that got nothing going at MetLife Stadium.
The loss taught Real Madrid valuable lessons that must soon be implemented if they want to take the Spanish crown from Barcelona. First up for Los Blancos is their La Liga opener against Osasuna, where both Alonso and his men will hope to start a new campaign void of the mistakes that tarnished the Club World Cup semifinals—and even the season prior.
A New Defensive Era for Real Madrid
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, a new backline will take center stage in Real Madrid’s clash with Osasuna. Álvaro Carreras, Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold are in line to start their first match at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Éder Militão rounding out Alonso’s back four.
The defensive reinforcements already give Los Blancos more security than they had not only in the Club World Cup semifinals, but also nearly all of last season. Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni are free to return to their natural positions in the midfield while Raúl Asencio will be firmly on the bench.
Alonso might have preferred to deploy his favored back three to give Carreras and Alexander-Arnold complete freedom down the left and right flanks respectively, but with Antonio Rüdiger suspended for the clash, the manager will likely roll out a more traditional formation.
Still, Alonso must encourage both his center backs and fullbacks to contribute to the team’s attack. Alexander-Arnold’s vision and creativity adds a new dynamic to Real Madrid that the team should implement in their game plan as much as possible. Militão is also a threat on set pieces, and Huijsen deserves the green light to smash a long ball forward whenever he sees an opening.
As long as the new-look backline plays to its strengths, it will find success against Osasuna. If they falter, Thibaut Courtois will be there to stand tall, like he has since making the move to the Spanish capital.
All Eyes Are on Real Madrid’s Attack
Alonso’s biggest team decision comes not with his backline, but with his attack. It goes without saying that the Spaniard will return Vinícius Júnior to the left wing after his failed experiment playing the Brazilian on the right in the United States. The same goes for Kylian Mbappé, who will get the nod as the team’s No. 9.
The question then comes down to who will play on the right wing. Rodrygo is the obvious—and likely the best—option at the moment. The Brazil international has fallen out of favor with Alonso, though, and has not made his XI since the opening match of the Club World Cup.
Yes, there are drawbacks to having Rodrygo up top with Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé, many of which were on full display last season. But the 24-year-old is just the type of player that would thrive under Alonso. He is unselfish, always looking to set up one of his teammates in the final third, and is much more likely to press than either of his two fellow forwards.
Brahim Díaz is an option as well, but the Moroccan simply does not possess the skill or finishing ability of Rodrygo. If Alonso wants to turn the page from his Club World Cup mistakes, then he will finally return the Brazilian to the starting lineup.
There is always the possibility that Alonso starts just Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé up top, but without Jude Bellingham available, the manager will likely stick with a front three.
Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé Must Improve Their Work Rate
Speaking of Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé, the two superstars cannot go another season unwilling to contribute without the ball at their feet. So many times last campaign, the forwards were criticized for their lackadaisical defensive efforts and their reluctance to press.
The glaring issues were on full display in the Club World Cup semifinals, where Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé relied on their teammates to track back for them. Bellingham and Arda Güler were all over the pitch, doing the work of two people each, while Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé waited for the ball to come back to them.
Compared to the work rate of Ousmane Dembélé, their efforts were subpar at best. Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé need to commit to playing a well-rounded game for 90 minutes, not just when Real Madrid are going forward.
Los Blancos will only go so far if both players stay unwilling to adapt to Alonso’s more aggressive, disciplined style of football. Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé have to press, track back and above all, cover ground if Real Madrid want to truly leave their Club World Cup demons in the past.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Bernabeu Beckons: Real Madrid Enter New Era Determined to Erase Summer Failure.