Two years after facing off in the Copa del Rey Final, Osasuna and Real Madrid were pitted against each other in the opening match of the season. Four players made their competitive debuts for their new clubs at the Santiago Bernabeu; Alvaro Carreras started at left back alongside fellow summer signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in Real Madrid’s defence, whilst Franco Mastantuono made his first appearance, replacing Brahim Diaz in the 68th minute. As for Osasuna, new arrival Valentin Rosier started on the right side of defense, whilst Victor Munoz made his debut against his former employers after coming on for Ruben Garcia in the 66th minute.
Osasuna, unlike Real, entered the match off the back of the preseason. Real Madrid, meanwhile, had played just one match since losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal, a 4-0 friendly win over WSG Tirol. The Basque side managed to keep things close and likely would have come away with a point in the capital had it not been for Juan Cruz felling Kylian Mbappe and allowing the French striker to capitalise from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win for Los Blancos.
Rosier delivered an impressive debut for Osasuna on his 29th birthday, making four clearances, three interceptions, and two tackles. He played the full 90 minutes and held his own against Vinicius Junior, with a composed display at the back. Rosier would follow that up by starting against Valencia and Espanyol, assisting Ante Budimir’s goal in the former.
Rosier was 22 when he departed France and joined Portuguese heavyweights Sporting, where he lasted just one season before heading east for Besiktas. He emerged as a vital cog in defence, helping them win the domestic treble and being named to the Super Lig Team of the Season, before eventually returning home and joining Nice on loan. After heading back to Besiktas, his contract was allowed to expire, prompting him to join newly promoted side Leganes last summer. Whilst he wasn’t able to keep them up, he nevertheless enjoyed a successful transition to La Liga and became an instrumental figure at the back for Los Pepineros. It’s why Osasuna decided to swoop in and sign him to a three-year deal.
Whilst Rosier hasn’t been able to achieve stability in his professional career, having played for four different clubs in three different countries since the start of the 2023/24 season, he has nevertheless been able to find some inner peace thanks to a healthy lifestyle off the pitch.
“I like to be with my friends and play video games, watch manga or something else, but I don’t like to go out,” stated Rosier in an interview NewsCentralTV. “I don’t like to walk in the city. I like to stay at home, hang out with my friends and play video games, I’m very normal.”
“I’m kind of like an older person… I like to stay home, I don’t like to go out, I like playing GTA, NBA, FIFA, and other stuff like funny games or horror games. My favourite games are GTA and NBA. I haven’t seen my FIFA card yet, I don’t really care, I’m just happy to be on FIFA. My 74 overall rating is okay… I only play Career Mode so I don’t care.”
Having earned seven caps for France at the under-21 level, all in 2018, Rosier has already made his mark for his country, but he’s keen to do so at the senior level. Whilst he’s also eligible to play for Italy and Guadeloupe, he’s holding out for Les Bleus.
🗓️ SEPTEMBER#LetsGoRojillos pic.twitter.com/qmXJ1IxB0X
— C. A. OSASUNA (@osasuna_en) September 1, 2025
“For me, I choose France,” revealed Rosier. “If I can play for France, that would be nice.”
At 29 years of age, Valentin Rosier has already played at the professional level for seven different clubs. Can he finally find a long-term home at El Sadar as a key figure in the Osasuna defence.
