Real Madrid's Title Hopes Dented by Late Osasuna Defeat in La Liga
Real Madrid's aspirations for the La Liga title took a significant blow as they fell 2-1 to Osasuna in a dramatic away match, with Raul Garcia scoring a decisive winner in the 90th minute. This defeat has tightened the championship race, with Barcelona now positioned just two points behind Madrid. Barcelona can potentially leapfrog to the top of the table if they secure a victory against Levante in their upcoming Sunday fixture at Camp Nou.
Madrid's Struggles in Pamplona
Real Madrid delivered a lackluster performance in Pamplona, failing to match their usual standards. Osasuna seized the initiative early when Ante Budimir earned a penalty after initially being booked for simulation. A VAR review overturned the decision, revealing that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had stepped on Budimir's foot. Budimir calmly converted the spot-kick to give Osasuna the lead.
Vinicius Junior provided a glimmer of hope for Madrid by equalizing with a well-taken finish from a cross delivered by Fede Valverde. This goal marked Vinicius's fifth in four games, showcasing his impressive form under the guidance of coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who assumed the managerial role in January following Xabi Alonso's departure.
Late Drama and VAR Controversies
The match was filled with late drama and VAR interventions. Kylian Mbappe believed he had scored for Madrid, but his effort was disallowed for offside. Madrid appeared distracted at times, possibly due to their impending Champions League clash against Benfica, managed by Jose Mourinho.
In the closing stages, Madrid had an opportunity to take the lead when Mbappe's shot was blocked by Javi Galan. Moments later, Raul Garcia capitalized at the far post to score what proved to be the winning goal. Initially ruled out, VAR confirmed the goal was onside, sealing Osasuna's first league victory over Real Madrid in 15 years.
"It's an incredible feeling... I think (that fact) is crazy. The fans deserved a victory like this after so many years," Raul Garcia expressed in an interview with DAZN.
Coach Arbeloa's Post-Match Assessment
Coach Alvaro Arbeloa acknowledged his team's subpar performance and emphasized the need for improvement ahead of their crucial European encounter. "It was not a good game from us... we have to play a lot better," Arbeloa stated to reporters. "We had control at some points but we lacked speed in our play... on Wednesday we have another final, another game that is very important for us."
Atletico Madrid Returns to Winning Ways
In other La Liga action, Atletico Madrid ended a four-game winless streak with a commanding 4-2 victory over Espanyol at the Metropolitano Stadium. Alexander Sorloth was the standout performer, netting twice, while Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son, and Nigeria international Ademola Lookman also found the back of the net. Edu Exposito scored a late consolation goal for Espanyol.
Despite trailing Real Madrid by 12 points and being out of the title contention, this win solidifies Atletico's position in the top four. "We needed to get the points to close in on the teams above us," coach Simeone remarked. "We were protagonists, we scored four goals, we had two or three more clear chances, we played a very complete game."
Atletico now turn their attention to a pivotal Champions League play-off second leg against Club Brugge on Tuesday, following a 3-3 draw in the first leg in Belgium.
Other La Liga Results
Elsewhere in the league, Real Betis were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Rayo Vallecano. This result leaves Betis six points adrift of Atletico Madrid, further intensifying the competition for European qualification spots.
