Real Madrid face Osasuna in their La Liga opener this evening, with Los Blancos looking to hit the ground running under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Madrid ended an unsuccessful season with a damaging 4-0 defeat to PSG in the Club World Cup in July, though they come into 25/26 with a renewed sense of optimism after making some key additions across the pitch.
Nevertheless, the most important addition could well prove to be the manager, with plenty of expectation on Alonso after a stint in which he won the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen.
And Los Blancos’ first game comes against Osasuna, the Pamplona- based side who finished ninth last season to narrowly miss out on European places.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Madrid are the early favourites for this one, and you can find fairly sizeable LaLiga odds for Osasuna to pull off a surprise victory.
Real Madrid vs Osasuna prediction: Madrid to ease to simple opening win
Though Osasuna produced a decent season to finish just outside the European places last term, they face perhaps the toughest possible task on the opening day as a trip to the Bernabeu awaits.
LosRojillos lost right-back Jesus Areso to Bilbao and midfielder Pablo Ibanez to rivals Alaves, and it remains to be seen how their signings will settle, with only two additions being made so far.
Madrid should also be lining up with a couple of new faces, with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to make his La Liga debut alongside fellow full-back Alvaro Fernandez and former Bournemouth man Dean Huijsen.
With potential for almost a completely new backline, it may take some time for the new-look Madrid defence to settle, though bookies are only offering evens on Osasuna to score.
Madrid have won five of their last six meetings with Osasuna – with four of those victories coming by at least two goals – and won this respective fixture 4-0 last season, while also winning 4-0 at home the season before. In fact, Osasuna’s last win at the Bernabeu was in 2004!
In addition, Madrid had one of the best home records in the league last season – with 16 wins – while Osasuna had one of the poorest, with just 17 points from 19 games.
It’s difficult to see anything other than a commanding Madrid win here, so we’re going with the hosts to win to nil at around 10/11 with various betting sites.
Real Madrid vs Osasuna prediction 1: Real Madrid to win to nil – 10/11
Real Madrid vs Osasuna tip: Mbappe to get off the mark early
Kylian Mbappe may have ended his first season at the Bernabeu with no trophies, but the Frenchman impressed at many points in his debut campaign, not least when securing the European Golden Shoe and Pichichi award with 31 goals across 34 La Liga games (and 44 across all games last season).
The Frenchman remains one of the world’s best players and though Gonzalo Garcia has emerged as a viable option at 9 for Madrid, it would take something incredible for him to oust Mbappe from the lineup.
After a disappointing Club World Cup campaign, Mbappe will look to hit the ground running as he returns to lead the line for Los Blancos, and with him enjoying a potentially more central role up front with the support of a second man, he could score even more goals this season.
The 26-year-old netted against Osasuna last time these two sides met, and we’re backing him to do so again with odds of 5/2 available on football betting sites on the Frenchman to score first.
Real Madrid vs Osasuna prediction 2: Kylian Mbappe to score first – 5/2 Ladbrokes
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