Osasuna 2-4 Real Madrid
Real Madrid will go into the international break with a healthy lead at the top of the table, as they sealed a comfortable win away to Osasuna, meaning Girona will have to beat Getafe in order to cut the gap back to seven. Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde were in inspired form, leading the charge for Carlo Ancelotti.
The Brazilian robbed defender Alejandro Catena just three minutes in and rolled past Sergio Herrera for an early opener, but Osasuna hit back after another three minutes. Keeping a corner alive at the back post, Ante Budimir grabbed his 14th goal of the La Liga season to level things up.
Osasuna were vulnerable throughout though, and only a good save from Herrera stopped Vinicius after he’d broken the offside trap again in the 10th minute. A brilliantly crafted goal in the 17th minute would give Los Blancos the lead back, with Brahim Diaz lofting the ball over the defence. Fede Valverde controlled on his thigh and volleyed towards the penalty spot, where Dani Carvajal invented a finish with the outside of the foot slice into the top corner for his fifth goal of the season.
Aurelien Tchouameni had started at centre-back again ahead of Nacho Fernandez, and he was solid, but Osasuna did threaten an equaliser, with Andriy Lunin getting down well to make three good saves, two of which from Jose Arnaiz.
In the second half though, Real Madrid took control and exploited Osasuna’s high line again. Valverde flicked the ball on behind the Osasuna defence just past the hour-mark, which saw Brahim Diaz race in behind and finish with composure. The match was over a few minutes later, when Antonio Rudiger’s outside of the boot ball found Valverde in behind. He cushioned it into the path of Vinicius, who rolled into the other corner around Herrera after driving in on goal.
Herrera would make two more good saves from Vinicius and Rodrygo in the following moments. Osasuna would grab a consolation goal through Iker Munoz, who thumped a pull-back from the right side through the legs of Lunin in stoppage time. Arda Guler only had a few minutes on the pitch, but was inches away from perhaps the goal of the season, cracking the crossbar from halfway with Herrera beaten.
Real Madrid go into the international break feeling good about their lead and looking good at El Sadar. Osasuna stay 10th for now, and after conceding four to Real Madrid in both of their games this season, Jagoba Arrasate might be re-thinking that high line for next year.
Game ended 2-4 chief, not 1-4.
Would be nice if redaction actually watched the games.