Ever seen a tiny village club from the Alps try to stop a front line worth nearly a billion euros? Honestly, it’s usually a recipe for a blowout. But when WSG Tirol - Real Madrid was announced as a preseason friendly for August 12, 2025, the local fans in Innsbruck didn’t care about the odds. They just wanted to see Kylian Mbappe in the flesh.
The match ended exactly how the bookies expected—a 4-0 thumping by the Spanish giants. But the scoreline barely scratches the surface of what actually happened at the Tivoli Stadion. It wasn't just a practice session for Carlo Ancelotti; it was a tactical masterclass and a reality check for the Austrians.
Breaking Down the WSG Tirol - Real Madrid Clash
Preseason games are weird. You’ve got world-class superstars playing at 70% intensity while local defenders are playing like it’s a World Cup final. WSG Tirol, coached by Philipp Semlic, actually held their own for about nine minutes. Then, the inevitable happened.
Eder Militao opened the floodgates early. It wasn't even a complex goal—just a clinical finish from a Brahim Diaz assist. But the real story was the "new" era of Madrid’s attack. This game was one of the first times we got to see the fluidity of Mbappe, Rodrygo, and Arda Guler working together without the shadow of the previous season's transition phase.
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Mbappe grabbed two. His first came in the 13th minute after a slick ball from Guler. You could almost feel the collective sigh from the WSG Tirol defenders. How do you track a guy who moves like that? By the time the second half rolled around, Mbappe had his second, this time thanks to Aurelien Tchouameni.
A Debut to Remember (And One Almost-Hero)
It wasn't all about the goals. Real Madrid handed a debut to Carreras, who looked surprisingly comfortable in the white shirt. But the most "almost" moment of the night belonged to Tirol's Tobias Anselm.
Imagine the scene: it’s the 69th minute, the score is 3-0, and you find yourself one-on-one with Andriy Lunin. The stadium went quiet. Anselm struck it well, but Lunin—who’s been in ridiculous form lately—pulled off a reflex save that reminded everyone why Real Madrid’s bench is better than most teams' starting elevens.
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Why This Match Mattered More Than You Think
A lot of people dismiss these friendlies as "marketing tours." They’re wrong. For WSG Tirol - Real Madrid, the stakes were high for different reasons.
- Tactical Testing: Ancelotti used this to experiment with Arda Guler in a more central, playmaking role. It worked. Guler hit the woodwork from a free-kick and looked like the smartest player on the pitch.
- Fitness Benchmarks: For the Austrian side, facing this level of speed is the ultimate fitness test before their Bundesliga campaign heats up.
- The Alaba Factor: David Alaba made a cameo in the 62nd minute. Seeing the Austrian legend play on home soil against a local club was a massive PR win for the organizers.
The match was essentially a "who's who" of modern football. Even with heavy rotations, Madrid brought on Alexander-Arnold (who had recently joined the squad) and Vinicius Junior for the final half-hour. Rodrygo eventually made it 4-0 in the 81st minute, assisted by—who else—Mbappe.
What Most Fans Missed in the Chaos
If you just watched the highlights, you missed the tactical battle in the midfield. WSG Tirol tried to play a high line. Bold? Yes. Suicidal? Also yes.
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Tchouameni and Valverde spent the first half carving through that high line with diagonal long balls. It basically turned into a track meet. By the time Tirol dropped deeper in the second half, the damage was done. The gap between a mid-table Austrian Bundesliga team and the Champions League winners is a canyon, but Tirol’s bravery in the first 20 minutes was actually quite impressive. They didn't just park the bus; they tried to play.
The Key Takeaways
- Mbappe is fully integrated. Any worries about him "clashing" with the existing forwards looked silly after this game.
- Arda Guler is a starter in waiting. His vision is miles ahead of players ten years his senior.
- Lunin isn't going anywhere. Despite the rumors, his performance in the few tests he faced was flawless.
What's Next for Both Teams?
If you followed the WSG Tirol - Real Madrid result, you know where these paths lead. Real Madrid used this momentum to fly into their La Liga opener against Osasuna. They look like a juggernaut that's only getting faster.
For WSG Tirol, this was a payday and a lesson. They went back to their domestic league with a better understanding of their defensive lapses. If you can't stop Mbappe, that's fine. But if you can learn how he exploited your spacing, you can definitely stop a striker from LASK or Sturm Graz.
Your next move: If you’re a Madridista, go back and watch the 20-minute mark of this match. Watch Arda Guler's movement off the ball. It’s a masterclass in spatial awareness that shows exactly why he’s the future of that midfield. For Tirol fans, keep an eye on Anselm; if he can create chances against Militao and Rudiger, he’s going to have a career year in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Actionable Insights:
- Check the full match replay on RM Play if you want to see the debut of Carreras in detail.
- Track the "Guler as a #10" experiment in upcoming league matches; the seeds were sown here in Innsbruck.
- Don't sleep on WSG Tirol in the Austrian league; their aggressive press against Madrid suggests they’ll be a handful for domestic rivals.