Osasuna deliver crushing blow to Madrid’s title bid

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Real Madrid’s La Liga title charge suffered a damaging blow on Saturday evening as they fell 2-1 to Osasuna at El Sadar, conceding a dramatic late winner after battling back in the second half.

In a fiercely contested encounter, Madrid were undone by a stoppage-time strike from Raúl García, whose goal was confirmed following a tense VAR review, sealing a famous victory for the hosts.

Osasuna struck first in the 38th minute after referee Alejandro Quintero awarded a penalty following a VAR intervention. Ante Budimir calmly converted from the spot, driving low into the left corner beyond Thibaut Courtois, who was booked for his protests.

The hosts had already shown attacking intent, with Budimir earlier rattling the post and testing Madrid’s defence with aerial pressure.

Sergio Herrera also proved pivotal at the other end, denying Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni with sharp saves before the interval.

Madrid enjoyed spells of possession but lacked cutting edge in the final third during the first half, with David Alaba and Vinícius Júnior both firing off target.

Madrid increased the tempo after the restart and found their equaliser in the 73rd minute. Federico Valverde threaded a precise pass into Vinícius Júnior, who rifled a clinical finish past Herrera to level the contest at 1-1.

Mbappé thought he had turned the game around minutes earlier, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside. Real Madrid pressed for a winner, but Osasuna’s defence stood firm, throwing bodies in the way of shots and frustrating the visitors’ star-studded attack.

The decisive moment came in the 90th minute. After an initial goal by García was chalked off for offside, Osasuna refused to relent. Raúl Moro squared intelligently inside the box, and García made no mistake with his second opportunity, lashing into the top right corner.

A brief VAR review followed, but the goal stood, sparking jubilant celebrations among the home supporters.

Madrid’s frustration boiled over in the closing stages, with David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Vinícius Júnior all cautioned as the match slipped away.

The defeat represents a significant setback for Real Madrid’s pursuit of the La Liga crown, particularly at a stage of the season when consistency is paramount.