Madrid's Real triumphs over Marseille in UEFA Champions League opener, thanks to Mbappe's double penalty goals
Real Madrid Secure 2-1 Victory Over Marseille in Xabi Alonso's Champions League Debut
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over French side Marseille in the opening match of Xabi Alonso's Champions League tenure as head coach.
The Spanish giants had numerous opportunities to score before Dani Carvajal's dismissal, with Kylian Mbappe accounting for 2.2 of Madrid's 3.65 expected goals. Carvajal was sent off for a headbutt towards Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, forcing Madrid to play the latter stages of the game with 10 men.
Mbappe, who reached his 50th goal for Real Madrid in the match, scored twice from penalties. The first came after a clumsy lunge on Rodrygo by Geoffrey Kondogbia, resulting in a penalty for Madrid. The second came later in the game, taking Mbappe's tally to 2 goals for the night.
Madrid's 11 shots on target in the first half was their highest tally in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League match since data collection began in 2003-04. Franco Mastantuono hit the post for Madrid during the match, but was unable to score.
Timothy Weah scored on his Champions League debut for Marseille, but it was not enough to prevent a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid. Weah's goal marked the first time a player has scored on their Champions League debut for Marseille since Gabriel Heinze in 2009.
Trent Alexander-Arnold left the game due to an apparent hamstring injury for Real Madrid, leaving the team to battle on with 10 men for a significant portion of the match.
Xabi Alonso, who took over as Real Madrid's head coach after Carlo Ancelotti's departure in May 2025, watched on as his team fought to secure the victory. The match marked Alonso's first Champions League game in charge of the Spanish giants.
The referee reviewed the incident involving Carvajal and Rulli using the VAR monitor, confirming the red card for Carvajal. Despite playing with 10 men, Madrid managed to hold on to their lead and secure the win.
Real Madrid's 15 shots on target in the match against Marseille is their highest tally in a coach's Champions League debut since the 2003-04 season, showing the team's determination and quality even with a man disadvantage.
The victory marks a positive start for Alonso as Real Madrid's head coach, and sets the tone for an exciting season ahead in Europe's premier club competition.
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