Xabi Alonso praised the impact of Real Madrid's new signings, including debutant Franco Mastantuono, after the team beat Osasuna 1-0 in their opening game of the LaLiga season on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappé got off to a scoring start in his second season with Real Madrid, leading the team to a 1-0 victory over Osasuna in their Spanish league opener Tuesday.
Coach Xabi Alonso said that he "won't look for excuses" after Real Madrid's hurried pre-season, while confirming that new arrival Franco Mastantuono could feature when the team host Osasuna on Tuesday.
Ahead of Alonso’s first season in charge of Real Madrid we speak to some of those he coached at Real Sociedad B On 19 August Real Madrid start their new La Liga campaign at home against Osasuna with Xabi Alonso in charge for his first league game. That would have seemed unthinkable only three years ago when he had just taken over at Bayer Leverkusen. He admitted thinking: “What am I doing here? … Why did we hire this guy from Real Sociedad B?” but the Bundesliga side knew what they were doing. Within two years he had taken them to a historic double as well as the Europa League final. The 2023-24 league title was secured by going undefeated. Last season they finished second behind Bayern Munich – no mean feat – and on 25 May he was confirmed as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement as manager for Los Blancos. Continue reading...
Real Madrid have asked LaLiga for their league opener against Osasuna to be rescheduled because of their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup, sources have told ESPN.
A Conference League place is a monumental achievement, made all the better by how out of place it all feels Rayo Vallecano’s fans rolled out the banner at 10.46pm on the last Saturday of the season and rolled it away again a minute later. There had been a sneak glimpse of the message they hoped to stretch across the one end of a ground that is actually an end and not just a wall at risk of falling down, but it wasn’t quite time for the big reveal. For now all they wanted was to pull 40 metres of fabric into place, huge white letters proudly painted on a red background, ready for when, if, it actually was. They certainly didn’t intend to tempt fate; it wasn’t done yet, history still not made and, God knows, if there is a place where anything can go wrong, where football and life isn’t always kind but is always lived, it is here. There was though a brief look before the banner was hidden again behind the back row – something about years, Europe and us – and they were close now. There were 10 minutes plus added time left and the side from the Independent People’s Republic of Vallekas, the last of the neighbourhood teams, not just in the barrio but of the barrio, were on the verge of qualifying for the Conference League. All they had to do was beat Real Mallorca and it turned out they wouldn’t even have to do that: they had taken 28 shots without scoring but it still didn’t matter because up in Vitoria, the team that could take the place from them hadn’t scored either, Osasuna losing 1-0 to Alavés. Continue reading...
Ante Budimir’s career has taken him on a long and winding road. But now he is in the record books at Osasuna Mari Carmen was 78 and late. It was a January morning in Pamplona, cold and wet, and the taxi that was supposed to take her to hospital hadn’t turned up. Standing in the street watching time and traffic pass but no cabs, she was getting a bit worried when she saw a young man she thought she recognised. She, after all, is an Osasuna supporter and he is their striker. Although, like her, he wasn’t having the best of times back then; he was halfway through the season, well into the winter, and had scored just once, when she approached. “Excuse me,” Mari Carmen said. “Are you Ante Budimir? Could you do me a favour? Could you take me to the hospital?” So he did, and there was the selfie to prove it. Mari Carmen knew her family would never believe her but, originally from tiny Carcastillo 50 miles south, recently widowed and having moved to the capital for health reasons, a tumour returning, that was definitely her in the front seat and that was definitely him alongside her. The picture eventually appeared weeks later when her daughter Myriam posted a cartoon strip to thank the many people who had helped her mum over a couple of difficult, lonely months, in which it felt like everything was going wrong at once. “Good on Osasuna for signing people before stars,” she wrote. Continue reading...
Real beat Osasuna 4-0 but Éder Militão suffers ACL injuryJamal Musiala’s 30-yard drive earns 1-0 win at St Pauli Vinícius Júnior scored a hat-trick to help Real Madrid snap a two-game winless run at the Bernabéu in all competitions with a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna. After shock defeats by Barcelona and Milan, their first back-to-back home losses in over three years, Real suffered two major early blows against Osasuna as the forward Rodrygo and the defender Éder Militão were both forced off injured. The latter sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury and will require surgery, the club later revealed. He will miss several months. Continue reading...
Forward tormented Catalans again to get his career back on track a year after career-altering display against same team “These things are in me,” Bryan Zaragoza said. “You don’t learn this, you have it. And I have it.” La Liga’s second smallest player, 5ft 5in of fun, was wearing its biggest smile, more than a hint of mischief in there. He had only gone and done it again. The cheeky kid with a twinkle in his eye and a twinkle in his toes too, who grew up idolising Lionel Messi, watching videos of Ronaldinho, following Neymar and playing football on the streets of 4 de Diciembre, Málaga, had left Barcelona on the floor once more. This was naughty. In early October 2023 Bryan had taken unbeaten Barcelona apart, scoring twice for Granada en route to a 2-2 draw, his life turned upside down. A year on, he took unbeaten Barcelona apart again, scoring one and providing another for Osasuna en route to a 4-2 win, life turned back upright. Two meetings, one assist, three goals, can I play you every week? Only goal doesn’t do justice to the night Los Carmenes had then and El Sadar had now. “Magical,” Bryan called it, Osasuna’s first win over Barcelona in 12 years and among their most memorable ever, emulating a feat from four decades earlier when Diego Maradona scored twice. It definitely doesn’t do justice to what he had done. Continue reading...
Over the course of the summer, Aimar Oroz has been strongly linked with a move away from Osasuna. Athletic Club have pushed hardest to sign him, and they’ve had at least one offer turned down by Los Rojillos. Girona, who have plenty of money to spend, are also keen on the Olympic champion. However, it […] The post Olympic gold medallist confirms intention to reject Athletic Club and Girona – “News will come out” appeared first on Football España.
After a tricky six months in Bavaria, Bryan Zaragoza has returned to Spanish football, joining Osasuna on loan for the season. Earlier today @osasuna_en confirmed the signing of Bryan Zaragoza on loan from #FCBayern. pic.twitter.com/CtSNe8vYam — Football España (@footballespana_) August 9, 2024 The 22-year-old joined Bayern from Granada in January for around €13m plus €4.5m […] The post Osasuna pull off major loan signing from Bundesliga giants for international winger appeared first on Football España.
A return to La Liga is looking increasingly likely for Bryan Zaragoza. The 22-year-old winger swapped Granada for Bayern Munich in January, but after a difficult first 6/7 months in Bavaria, he will now be afforded to opportunity to return home for the 2024-25 campaign. Valencia emerged as the early favourites to sign Zaragoza, having […] The post Osasuna leapfrog Girona and Valencia in race to sign Bayern Munich winger on loan appeared first on Football España.
Osasuna have confirmed that captain David Garcia will move on from the club this summer to join Qatari side Al-Rayyan. The 30-year-old central defender has been a stalwart for Osasuna over the past decade, as he contributed their rise from the brink of relegation to the third tier, to the Copa del Rey final and […] The post Osasuna confirm departure of club captain in move to Qatar appeared first on Football España.
Osasuna have had a quiet summer transfer window up until now, but that could be able to change. If all goes well, they are about to complete the sale of club captain David Garcia, whose set to become the latest player to make the move to the Middle East. As reported by Diario AS, Osasuna […] The post Osasuna agree deal to sell club icon to Qatari side Al Rayyan for €10m appeared first on Football España.
