Kylian Mbappe’s heroics saved Real Madrid from a draw against Marseille after Dani Carvajal’s red card. Xabi Alonso expressed disappointment with Carvajal’s conduct, while praising Mbappe’s performance. Real Madrid dominated with 15 shots on target, securing a 2-1 victory in their Champions League opener.
Xabi Alonso expressed his disappointment with Dani Carvajal's conduct following his reckless red card, which nearly jeopardized Real Madrid's Champions League campaign opener against Marseille. The incident occurred during Tuesday's match, where Carvajal had an opportunity to shine after Trent Alexander-Arnold was sidelined due to injury within the first five minutes. However, his actions left Real Madrid with 10 men as they fought to secure a victory.
The pivotal moment arrived when Carvajal inexplicably lunged his head towards Marseille's goalkeeper, Geronimo Rulli, leaving referee Irfan Peljto with no alternative but to issue a red card after consulting the touchline monitor in the 72nd minute. Despite the setback, Kylian Mbappe stepped up to salvage the situation for his team. Mbappe converted his second penalty of the match, sealing a 2-1 win for Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Nevertheless, Alonso remained unimpressed with Carvajal's behavior.
"The dismissal was avoidable, it’s a shame," Alonso lamented on Spanish channel Movistar+. "We’ll have to talk about it."
Mbappe's decisive contribution ensured that Carvajal's dismissal would be a mere footnote rather than the central theme of Alonso's inaugural Champions League game as Madrid's head coach. The French superstar, who had earlier equalized Timothy Weah's opening goal in the first half, continues to impress, having now scored an impressive 50 goals in just 64 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions. This achievement marks him as the fastest player to reach a half-century of goals for the club since Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable feat in November 2010, where he scored 51 goals in 54 matches.
"He’s in his best shape, with two goals," Alonso remarked on Mbappe, who has also been in scintillating form in LaLiga, scoring four goals in as many games to kick off the 2025-26 season.
"I’m happy to be with him, day in and day out, because we have a lot left to do."
15 – Real Madrid have had 15 shots on target in their first Champions League match with Xabi Alonso on the bench, their highest tally in a manager’s Champions League debut since the 2003–04 season. Promising. pic.twitter.com/1v614Nt4Kw
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 16, 2025
Real Madrid showcased their attacking prowess, accumulating a staggering 3.65 expected goals in a dominant display. Their 11 shots on target in the first half alone marked their highest tally in an opening 45 minutes of a Champions League clash since data collection began in 2003-04.
The team's relentless pressure continued throughout the match, as they finished with a remarkable 15 attempts on target, the highest number recorded in a coach’s Champions League debut since the 2003–04 season.
Alonso expressed his satisfaction with his side's performance and felt they deserved the victory, despite the chaotic ending triggered by Carvajal's senseless clash with Rulli.
"The first half-hour was very good, with many chances," the former Bayer Leverkusen boss noted. "We could have taken the lead, but we conceded, and then everything became level."
He added, "We were pushing until things got complicated with Carva’s sending-off, but the team showed their desire, their Champions League spirit."
"We didn’t back down; we wanted to win. And that spirit allowed us to defend with 10 men and hardly have any trouble."
For Marseille, the defeat extends their negative record against Real Madrid in the Champions League/European Cup, as they have now lost five games against the Spanish giants, the joint-most defeats against any side in the competition, equaling their record against Porto.
Timothy Weah provided a glimmer of hope for Marseille, as his 22nd-minute goal made him the first player since Gabriel Heinze against AC Milan in 2009 to score on his Champions League debut for the club. However, despite their best efforts, the French side was unable to find a decisive second goal, even after Real Madrid were reduced to 10 men, leaving Marseille's head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, visibly frustrated.
"We played a good game. Even if we were a little too timid, especially at the start of the match," Roberto De Zerbi told Canal+.
"We were better in the second half of the first half. I’m especially disappointed because after the red card, I would have liked to see my team advance more, create more chances and do more to try to win."