Kicking off the season with a victory and a goal from Kylian Mbappe, it felt like nothing changed from last season for Real Madrid, but that's where the similarities ended. Xabi Alonso is at the helm in charge of an almost entirely new look backline that held Osasuna to only two shots,

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has been under heavy criticism in recent months. Once considered a strong candidate for the Ballon d’Or, his performances have dipped since the second half of last

Since Real Madrid is already juggling its lineup due to injury concerns, Alonso is offering a pragmatic approach to the situation. Last season, Alonso showcased the benefit to fielding a flexible Bayer Leverkusen squad, and he’s likely to implement a similar philosophy now that he’s coaching in La Liga.