Real Madrid’s opening day numbers in LaLiga: when was the last time they lost the first game?

Real Madrid get their 2024/25 LaLiga campaign this evening as guests of Mallorca. Four days after beating Atalanta to lift the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw, Los Blancos will be leaving mainland Spain again to play their first league game of the new season.

With summer signing Kylian Mbappé settled in and already off the mark, Carlo Ancelotti’s team will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten run in their league debuts. Madrid have not lost a game on the opening day of the league since the 2008-9 season - a 2-1 defeat to Deportivo at Riazor.

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During the last 25 years, the balance is 18 wins, five draws and two defeats. In recent seasons, from Carletto’s first spell in charge, two players were the most different in those first matches: Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

The balance since Ancelotti’s first spell

Carlo Ancelotti’s two league debuts ended with two wins, both against Andalusian teams, both with the same scorer. In 2013-14, the Madridistas hosted Betis at the Bernabéu. The result ended in a 2-1 victory for the Whites. The first was scored by Karim Benzema. The second was scored by Isco, making his debut.

In 2014-15, the newly promoted Córdoba visited the Bernabéu. The Frenchman was once again in charge of opening the scoring. Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up the scoring against the Albiverdes.

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In 2015-16 with Rafa Benítez’s arrival, Madrid played out a goalless draw against Sporting de Gijón at El Molinón. The team made up for it the following week by thrashing Betis 5-0.

During the Zidane era, the team started away from home twice - beating Real Sociedad in matchday 1 of the In 2016-17 campaign with Bale on target twice, and beating Deportivo by the same scoreline in La Coruña the following year.

Julen Lopetegui got his tenure off to a good start as his Madrid side started the 2018-19 season with a home win against Getafe with goals from Carvajal and Bale.

Zidane was coaxed back during the Coronavirus pandemic. Real Madrid were one of six teams who had to compete in August due to matches being postponed the previous season. So their 2020-21 league opener against Getafe was set back to 9 February 2021. The team’s first game of the league campaign was away at Real Sociedad (corresponding to Week 2). It ended without goals in San Sebastián.

Since Carlo Ancelotti took over the reins ahead of 2021-22, Madrid have accumulated three victories on their LaLiga debuts - all on the road. Alavés (1-4), Almería (1-2) and Athletic Club (0-2). And all with a different player opening the scoring: Benzema in Mendizorroza, Lucas Vázquez in the Power Horse Stadium and Rodrygo in San Mamés.