La Liga: Real Madrid Edge Out Osasuna Thanks To Mbappe's Penalty Strike

Sports Football

Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 05:57:46 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-21 14:25:45

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La Liga action kicked off on Sunday with the first game seeing defending champions Real Madrid edge out a thrilling victory over Osasuna. Kylian Mbappe scored a 51st-minute penalty which proved to be the decider, opening his account in Spain in the process.

Real Madrid's title defense got off to a rocky start at the Santiago Bernabeu as they struggled to break down a resolute Osasuna side, who appeared to implement a gameplan centered around slowing the game down and hitting Los Blancos on the break. The visitors arguably could have taken the lead just before the half-hour mark when they won a penalty, only for former Real Madrid midfielder Ruben Garcia to fire wide. It was a costly miss, as the hosts would take the lead just minutes into the second half through Mbappe's penalty kick after Eder Militao was brought down in the area.

The French forward, who joined Madrid on a free transfer this summer, showed no signs of nerves as he calmly slotted home to make it 1-0. Osasuna, to their credit, kept fighting and created several good chances to equalize, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois having to come up big on multiple occasions. The visitors ultimately fell short in their quest to shock the league champions, but they will head back to Pamplona with plenty of reason for encouragement. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have relatively little time to rest as they prepare for a tricky away tie against Barcelona in the first-ever Spanish Super Cup clash at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

This was always going to be a tough game for Real Madrid, who have undergone significant changes this summer, with the departure of legend Karim Benzema and the abrupt ending to the tenure of Carlo Ancelotti. They certainly didn't look like a team ready to defend their title against a well-organized Osasuna, but the victory will hopefully provide them with momentum and confidence ahead of a big week.

Ultimately, this was a thrilling opener to La Liga, with plenty of entertaining action and a real glimpse into the goalscoring responsibility now shouldered by Mbappe. We expect to see him and the rest of Madrid's attacking unit link up more fluidly as they and the club adjust to these changes. Mbappe's cool penalty was the difference and gave him the perfect start to his La Liga account - we'll see how many more follow.

Go!