Mbappe takes the mantle
Hierarchies are shifting. Mbappe will lead the new era. The new number ten looks agile, explosive, and hungry. Maybe last season’s “nice guy” act was calculated—to blend in, avoid ego wars, and keep the noise down. This year he carries a chip on his shoulder. His old club has gone to new heights without him. His new club hit new lows. It looks like Mbappe is eager to prove a point. Early days, but it feels like the French captain is ready to grab the mantle. Xabi Alonso said as much after the game:
“After that first season, Kylian now seriously wants to do more, you can feel it when you talk to him and when you work with him. You can tell that he is highly, highly motivated”.
Vinicius still in a slump
Vinicius Jr. is stuck. This isn’t just a dip. It’s nearly a year since the Ballon d’Or gala and he hasn’t looked the same. The relentlessness in his game is gone. It feels mental, as though something hasn’t clicked. Against Osasuna he at least put in the defensive work. His pressing and tracking drew applause from the Bernabeu. When form abandons you, effort is the only way back.
Xabi Alonso sent a message with Vini’s substitution. New roles are being defined for the team. In this form, Vini isn’t untouchable. The credit he built under Ancelotti won’t carry over. Under Alonso, he’ll have to earn it again.
Trent vs. Carvajal
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s adaptation will take time. At Liverpool, the system was built around him. At Madrid, those same luxuries won’t be afforded with so many other offensive threats. Dani Carvajal, now club captain and the greatest right-back in Madrid history, is breathing down his neck. The Spainard is a competitive animal and will be desperate to win back his starting spot. Carvajal looked sharp against Osasuna, throwing himself into challenges and competing for every ball.
Trent wanted a new challenge, and he has it.
Xabi’s first principle
There’s no doubt about Xabi Alonso’s first demand: win the ball back immediately. Lose it, win it again. Against Osasuna, every counterattack and second ball was smothered. The counter-pressing was suffocating.
This is Alonso’s non-negotiable. The quicker Madrid win it back, the closer to goal they start their attack. That increases the chance of creating a clear scoring chance. It’s the first principle drilled into the squad—and it showed.
