Trent Alexander-Arnold will make his first La Liga appearance when Real Madrid and Osasuna face off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Real Madrid will aim to keep pace with Barcelona at the onset of the 2025/26 La Liga campaign when they welcome Osasuna to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night. Xabi Alonso has a few pressing concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s season-opening fixture.

Jude Bellingham is the most notable absentee from the matchday squad, with the English international recovering from a shoulder injury. The former Borussia Dortmund whizkid accompanies Antonio Rudiger (knock), Ferland Mendy (thigh), Eduardo Camavinga (ankle), and Endrick (hamstring) on the sidelines.

However, Xabi Alonso has included a few players who may make their La Liga bows for Los Blancos in the midweek La Liga clash. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Alonso discussed one of those players, with Franco Mastantuono being a talking point.

The Real Madrid manager said, “The first time I spoke to Mastantuono, I was struck by his personality. He was 17 then, and he was very sure of himself. He didn’t seem at all concerned about making the jump to Real Madrid. That maturity and quality has been evident since he arrived, I know he’ll settle in quickly, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.”

Alonso also discussed Rodrygo’s situation amid speculation surrounding his future. He said, “There are always rumours during summer, but he looks good to me, he’s part of my plans. I want every one of the players here to be feeling part of the team, doing their bit, and performing at 100%. That’s all I’m concerned with right now.”

Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono will start on the bench, with Brahim Diaz lining up alongside Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior in the final third. As for the midfield unit, Arda Guler may be Real Madrid’s wildcard, with the Turkish playmaker accompanying Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde in the middle of the park.

Thibaut Courtois is an automatic pick between the sticks, with the home side lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Osasuna on Tuesday. Finally, the backline will feature Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militao, Dean Huijsen, and Alvaro Carreras.

Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras; Guler, Tchouameni, Valverde; Brahim, Mbappe, Vinicius