5 Talking Points From Real Madrid’s Start To The Season

Mbappé has enjoyed a good start in the league.

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Two games, two wins. Real Madrid has begun the La Liga season neatly.

Building on the 1-0 home scoreline against Osasuna, Los Blancos scored three without reply at promoted team Real Oviedo on Sunday. Next, Real hosts Mallorca at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu this Saturday, two days after discovering its opponents in the Champions League’s opening phase.

Here are five learnings as coach Xabi Alonso works to build a side in his image after the club’s underwhelming performance last campaign.

A Kind Start Hasn’t Tested Real’s Credentials

Going over three hours without conceding a goal reads well. However, Madrid will be thankful for a relatively easy opening after missing out on a proper preseason following its participation in FIFA’s Club World Cup. Osasuna was very conservative, defending well but showing little offensive ambition in the first fixture. Meanwhile, Oviedo deserves praise for reaching the top tier. Yet it lacked the details needed to beat Real despite a spirited display. While they did enough, Alonso’s players will need much more when the games get trickier.

Mbappé Is A Brilliant Mystery

It’s curious enough that Kylian Mbappé, to many, struggled last campaign—his first in Spain. While the collective malfunctioned, and there were questions over whether he unbalanced an already thriving dynamic, the Frenchman netted 31 goals (including seven penalties) to claim the Pichichi prize. He’s started 2025/26 with three. Still, his role in the sometimes incoherent buildup play—as a central striker, winger, or influence from deep—remains uncertain. Tactics aside, having a chameleonic figure who affects the game in different ways can be a positive for Madrid.

Trent Is Adjusting To New Demands

Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold came from Liverpool with a reputation for creativity and raking passes. To feature regularly in the Spanish capital, he first needs to dislodge 33-year-old Dani Carvajal, an experienced and ever-reliable pick who is now back from injury. As it stands, that doesn’t look straightforward. Perhaps out of caution or being given less freedom to create in this lineup, Alexander-Arnold is playing within himself, and in a system that looks better suited to Carvajal’s strengths. It’s early days, though.

The Squad Can Level Up

Real’s selection options may have changed by the transfer window’s close on September 1. Dani Ceballos is edging closer to Marseille, although forward Rodrygo, who lined up from the left flank against Oviedo, appears to be staying. Regarding any incomings, Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konaté is reportedly a target for the backline, while there is also room, especially if Ceballos leaves, for reinforcements in central midfield. It will also be impressed by former youth player Nico Paz at Como, but the number 10 returning would most probably wait until 2026.

How Alonso Manages Egos Will Be Key

As with any Los Blancos trainer, managing the superstars is critical to Alonso’s success. And there are few prouder individuals than Vinícius Júnior. After benching the Brazilian—who came on and scored—in Asturias, he should continue making bold decisions if necessary while keeping the group happy. Each call will be magnified as the season progresses—during which another big character in Jude Bellingham returns from his shoulder problem—and the stakes rise.