Real Madrid begin La Liga campaign against Osasuna
Real Madrid will be bidding to begin their 2025-26 La Liga campaign with a victory when they head to El Sadar Stadium on Tuesday night to tackle an Osasuna side that will again be targeting a top-half finish this term.
Los Blancos finished second in La Liga last season, four points behind the champions Barcelona.
Los Blancos took part in the 2025 Club World Cup, reaching the semi-finals, but their tournament ended in disappointment, suffering a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, who lost to Chelsea in the final.
Xabi Alonso‘s side have brought four new players to the squad this summer, signing Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Franco Mastantuono.
Real Madrid have a big task on their hands when it comes to finishing above Barcelona in La Liga this season, and the Catalan outfit already have three points on the board, beating nine-man Mallorca 3-0 on Saturday night.
There is pressure on Alonso to oversee a challenge for all of the major trophies during the 2025-26 campaign.
Real Madrid have not lost to Osasuna in La Liga since January 2011, demonstrating the size of the away team’s task, but it was 1-1 when the two teams last locked horns in February 2025.
Real Madrid will be without the services of Antonio Rudiger through suspension, with the centre-back’s six-game domestic ban from the end of last season carrying over into the first game of 2025-26.
Jude Bellingham and Endrick are also out of the match through injury.
Osasuna are capable of making this a tricky match for Real Madrid, and we are expecting it to be relatively close in terms of the scoreline. However, Los Blancos should have more than enough quality to start their season with a win.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Rangers, Club Brugge in Champions League playoff
Within one round of reaching the league phase, Rangers kick off their Champions League playoff tie on Tuesday, when they welcome Club Brugge to Ibrox for the first leg.
While the Glasgow giants missed out last term, their Belgian counterparts not only qualified but impressed; both boasting a proud continental past, the pair will now fight for a seat at Europe’s top table.
Defying their weak domestic form, Rangers have come through some tough tests in the Champions League this summer, leaving them one step away from a place in the league phase.
It has been a stuttering start for Rangers, who drew both of their opening Scottish Premiership fixtures, leaving them four points adrift of early pace-setters Hearts and Celtic.
Europe often seems to be an entirely different matter for the Light Blues, who have won no fewer than 18 of 29 previous home games in Champions League qualifying.
Club Brugge have been to Ibrox as recently as July, when they let a two-goal lead slip and settled for a draw, but they will face a very different atmosphere on this occasion.
Too often caught out defensively, Rangers are vulnerable at the back, and a settled Club Brugge side are well place to take advantage.
The Belgians impressed in the Champions League last season and have started well this term, so they can at least leave Scotland’s second city on level terms.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Red Star Belgrade and Pafos go head-to-head
One step away from the promised land, Red Star Belgrade and Pafos FC will go head-to-head for a place in the Champions League, starting with Tuesday’s first leg in Serbia.
After coming through two previous rounds, they now meet in the playoffs, with a highly coveted prize at stake.
Red Star finished 29th in the inaugural league phase of the Champions League last season – beating Young Boys and Stuttgart – and they are now just two games away from an immediate return.
Having eased past Lincoln Red Imps with a 6-1 aggregate win in round two, they inched closer to a third consecutive appearance in the competition proper by beating Lech Poznan earlier this month.
The Serbian champions put themselves in control with an impressive 3-1 victory in Poland, before playing out a 1-1 draw in Belgrade despite going down to 10 men.
Boasting a perfect record and plus-14 goal difference after four games of their latest domestic title defence, Vladan Milojevic‘s men then beat Mladost Lucani 4-1 in the SuperLiga last weekend.
Not only are Crvena Zvezda undefeated in 15 competitive games across all competitions, but they also have a 17-match home unbeaten streak to defend – so a visit to the notorious ‘Marakana’ is never straightforward.
Pafos are making their Champions League debut this year. In fact, it is only their second season in UEFA competition, having written history by reaching the Conference League knockout phase last term.
Given their remarkable home record, Red Star must be favourites to take a lead over to Cyprus after this week’s first leg.
Both teams boast deep resources in the final third, so there may be several goals across the tie – starting with three on Tuesday.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Ferencvaros meet Qarabag in 1st leg tie
After reaching the final stage of Champions League qualifying, Ferencvaros meet Qarabag FK on Tuesday evening, for the first leg of their high-stakes playoff.
The glittering reward of a league-phase place is now within reach for both sides, who will battle it out in Budapest and Baku.
Crowned Hungarian champions for a 36th time in May, Ferencvaros last reached the Champions League proper five years ago, so Keane’s task is not only to defend the title but also reach Europe’s top table.
Meanwhile, Qarabag’s last group participation in the group or league phase was back in 2017, though they came close again five years later.
That summer, they beat Ferencvaros 4-2 in the third qualifying round and progressed to the playoffs – these clubs’ only competitive meetings to date.
This year, Qarabag kicked off their campaign by ruthlessly dumping out Irish champions Shelbourne, before winning both legs again in round three.
Qarabag boast a real threat in attack, so they can score at least once and head back to Baku on level terms.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
FIXTURES
Spanish La Liga
UEFA Champions League Play-offs
