MADRID — Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has praised the maturity of teenager newcomer Franco Mastantuono and downplayed the player's choice of former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as the world's best player.

La Liga has officially started and Real Madrid is preparing for its debut in the championship against Club Atlético Osasuna next Tuesday at the

Real Madrid issued a statement on Tuesday opposing La Liga's plans to move Barcelona's match at Villarreal to the U.S. in December, arguing the decision would compromise the competitive integrity of Spain's top flight.

After finishing third in La Liga for the third time in four seasons, Atletico Madrid begins its latest campaign away to Espanyol on Sunday.

See our 2025 La Liga predictions as we rank the top 3 teams and forecast who will dominate the upcoming season.