THE GAME TURNS IN THE 63RD! A simple word whispered by Xabi Alonso to Güler and Tchouaméni, and now in Oviedo, Mastantuono rewrites a script that no one could have imagined…

Real Madrid’s trip to Oviedo was supposed to be routine — a straightforward victory against a newly promoted side with little to lose. Yet what unfolded was far more than a 3-0 scoreline. It was a masterclass in tactical orchestration by Xabi Alonso, where one quiet instruction changed the entire rhythm of the night and showcased the future of Los Blancos.

From the very first whistle, Madrid seized control with chilling authority. Oviedo, buoyed by their home crowd, pressed with courage but were quickly pinned back as Alonso’s side treated possession like a grand chessboard. Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni moved the ball with a tempo that felt unnaturally sharp, almost as if someone had pressed a hidden switch. The reality, according to reports from Spain, is that Alonso had indeed whispered a secret message: “accelerate everything through Mastantuono.”

That single adjustment unleashed something remarkable. Franco Mastantuono, just 17 years old, suddenly found himself at the center of the play. His calmness was beyond his years; his vision, slicing through Oviedo’s defensive lines, forced the hosts to retreat further and further. With each touch, he transformed Madrid’s possession from sterile control into an unpredictable storm. Even the TV commentators paused in awe, one admitting, “It looks like Xabi has found his new conductor.”

But football is never that simple. Despite Madrid’s dominance — registering 17 shots in the opening half — Oviedo’s goalkeeper Aaron Escandell stood like an immovable wall. Nicknamed “the Asturian wall” on social media during the match, Escandell denied everything that came his way. Madrid’s frustration grew, the clock ticked, and it seemed a shock twist might be brewing.

Then came the breakthrough. In the 39th minute, a rapid exchange between Güler and Mastantuono ripped open Oviedo’s defense. In a flash, Kylian Mbappé was there to finish clinically. It was the type of move that summed up Alonso’s plan: precision, speed, and youth working in harmony with superstar quality. Relief flooded Madrid fans, who followed the match virtually in their thousands, celebrating the goal as though it were scored inside the Santiago Bernabéu itself.

Still, Oviedo refused to bow completely. Their moment came in the 82nd minute when Kwasi Sibo unleashed a thunderous strike from distance that smashed against the post. For a second, the entire stadium froze, Madrid’s perfect night hanging in the balance. But from that silence came the counterpunch. Three lightning passes later, Mbappé was in again, burying his second and putting the contest beyond doubt.

With Oviedo broken, Vinícius Jr. delivered the final act. Hungry for impact after a quiet evening, he surged forward to slot home the third goal, completing the 3-0 triumph. The scoreline was emphatic, yet it told only half the story.

What truly resonated was the unmistakable fingerprint of Xabi Alonso. His insistence on quick circulation, his decision to trust a 17-year-old with the keys to the midfield, and his razor-sharp tactical timing left even the harshest critics in admiration. One journalist on Spanish television summed it up perfectly: “Zidane had the magic, Ancelotti the serenity. Alonso has the surgeon’s scalpel.”

The fans felt it too. Social media exploded with excitement over Mastantuono’s performance. Many spoke of the “before and after Oviedo” moment in his career. Others speculated that Madrid may have found the blueprint for their next great midfield trio: Güler, Tchouaméni, and Mastantuono — heirs ready to carry the torch from Kroos and Modrić.

Even Oviedo’s camp admitted defeat with grace. One club director was overheard saying as he left the stadium, “We didn’t lose to a team tonight. We lost to an idea.” That idea, nurtured by Alonso, is one of fast, fluid football where youth and experience intertwine seamlessly.

In the end, it wasn’t just three points for Madrid. It was a declaration. The Alonso era is already carving its identity, and Oviedo will be remembered as the night a teenager and a whispered instruction rewrote the script of Spanish football.