Kicking off the season with a victory and a goal from Kylian Mbappe, it felt like nothing changed from last season for Real Madrid, but that's where the similarities ended. Xabi Alonso is at the helm in charge of an almost entirely new look backline that held Osasuna to only two shots,

Xabi Alonso has praised the impact of Real Madrid 's latest arrival Franco Mastantuono ahead of the team's first away game of the season, at Real Oviedo on Sunday. Mastantuono, 18, played 22 minutes as a substitute in Madrid's LaLiga debut on Tuesday as they beat Osasuna 1-0, impressing the Santiago Bernabéu crowd.

Since Real Madrid is already juggling its lineup due to injury concerns, Alonso is offering a pragmatic approach to the situation. Last season, Alonso showcased the benefit to fielding a flexible Bayer Leverkusen squad, and he’s likely to implement a similar philosophy now that he’s coaching in La Liga.