Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso says the team will not use their shortened pre-season as an excuse as they prepare to open their La Liga campaign at home to Osasuna on Tuesday.
Alonso, who officially begins his managerial reign at the Santiago Bernabéu, already oversaw Madrid’s Club World Cup outing in the US, where they reached the semi-finals. Despite Madrid’s request to postpone the league opener, Spanish football authorities denied it, leaving the team with just one friendly since a 4-0 loss to PSG on July 9.
It would’ve been nice to receive some support… but it wasn’t to be,” said Alonso. “We’ve only had two weeks, and there’s no point looking for excuses now.
Alonso takes over after the end of the Carlo Ancelotti era, inheriting a squad that includes new signings like Trent Alexander-Arnold. Madrid are aiming to bounce back after a disappointing 2024–25 season, where they finished behind Barcelona in La Liga and exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
I tend to be more of a doer than a talker, Alonso said. “We want to bring our energy to the stadium and earn success—not just talk about it.”
The former Bayer Leverkusen boss also backed Madrid’s opposition to La Liga’s plan to hold a Villarreal vs Barcelona match in Miami this December, calling it unfair and outside the agreed-upon rules of the competition.
The rules must be unanimously agreed upon by all participants. This move is not appropriate at this time, he said.
Alonso’s first test at home will set the tone for what fans hope will be a new era of success under his leadership.
