Real Madrid inched closer to a record 35th league title with a 3-1 win against Osasuna on Wednesday night.
Real arrived at El Sadar 15 points ahead of Barcelona in second and Atletico Madrid in third, with the latter thrashing out a goalless draw with Granada to cut their lead by a point before kick off. With Barca and Atletico having a maximum 21 and 15 points left to play for respectively, Los Blancos knew that victory here would effectively leave them one more win away from being crowned champions while also making it mathematically impossible for Atleti to retain the title they won last season.
Nonetheless, despite their relatively modest ambitions, Osasuna made the better start. They went close when Darko Brasanac capitalised on Eduardo Camavinga’s slip in midfield to play in Ante Budimir, who corkscrewed a shot just wide, before Chimy Avila tore down the right flank and lashed a ball across the face of goal which Brasanac was inches away from turning in at close range.
When Real scored against the run of play with 11 minutes gone, it felt like a sucker punch. After Dani Ceballos had drawn a foul from Javi Martinez out wide on the left, Marco Asensio teed him up to float a cross to Karim Benzema as he ghosted in at the far post.
Rather than shoot, Benzema pulled the ball back for David Alaba as he sprinted into the area. Though his initial effort was saved by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera, the rebound fell nicely for him and he scored on the follow-up.
When they could so easily have wilted, Osasuna burst into life. Avila, a menace throughout the first half, got to the byline and thumped a low cross to the far post where Budimir was lurking to level the scores barely a minute after the opener.
The hosts were satisfied to let Real have the lion’s share of possession, looking to hit them on the counter-attack as Avila orchestrated play from out wide. Budimir had the ball in the back of the net once again just after the half-hour mark, but he was narrowly offside.
Real looked increasingly frustrated, reduced to a succession of shots from distance through Asensio, Alaba and Federico Valverde. Just as it looked like the two sides would go in at 1-1, however, the visitors turned the game on its head.
Facing a wall of red and blue shirts, Camavinga floated an exquisite cross to the far post to find Ceballos on the charge. His low flick was saved by Herrera, but he could only parry to the feet of Asensio who was left to bundle over the line.
Even after that, Osasuna refused to go quietly. Budimir looped a header toward the top corner after the restart, drawing an excellent save from Thibaut Courtois.
The match briefly descended into farce when Herrera twice denied Benzema from the penalty spot, the first after Avila had mistimed a tackle on Rodrygo only to slap the ball away with his hand and the second after Nacho Vidal had wrestled the Brazilian to the floor. Both times, Benzema tried to roll the ball nonchalantly into the corner and, both times, Herrera made an acrobatic dive to push it round the post.
Neither side really seemed sure how to react and, after that, the rest of the game felt like an anticlimax. Benzema went close after exchanging passes with substitute Dani Carvajal late on, but couldn’t make amends for his squandered penalties even as Lucas Vazquez struck in the final minute of injury time to round off a crucial win.
TALKING POINT
Fool me once… While there were moments of individual brilliance, not least in the first half, this game will be remembered for Benzema’s missed penalties. His decision to make his second spot kick a carbon copy of the first would have felt like an impressive show of sangfroid if he had scored but, as it was, it came across as an act of immense hubris.
Benzema has now missed four out of his 11 penalties in La Liga this season, which is remarkably shaky for such a prolific striker. He won’t be too bothered, mind, given that he still has 39 goals for Real in all competitions.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Rodrygo (Real Madrid). He may not have much to show for the two penalties that he won, but Rodrygo was Real’s main attacking outlet until he was brought off for Vinicius Junior with a few minutes left to play.
While their opponents were composed in defence for long periods, Los Blancos looked most dangerous when Rodrygo was on the ball. It seems somehow unjust that Vinicius nabbed an assist for Vazquez’s goal and his compatriot, for all his excellent build-up play, had to make do with earning two wasted spot kicks.
PLAYER RATINGS
Osasuna: Herrera 8, Vidal 5, Aridane 7, D Garcia 7, Cote 6, Avila 7, Martinez 6, Moncayola 6, Brasanac 7, R Garcia 5, Budimir 7
Subs: Sanchez 6, Sanjurjo 6, Torres 5, Barja 5, Barbero N/A
Real Madrid: Courtois 7, Vazquez 7, Militao 6, Alaba 7, Nacho 6, Valverde 6, Camavinga 7, Ceballos 7, Asensio 7, Benzema 4, Rodrygo 8
Subs: Carvajal 7, Kroos 5, Isco 5, Vinicius Junior 7
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
11’ GOAL! Ceballos wins a free kick out wide after being barged over by Martinez. Asensio plays it short to Ceballos, who clips the ball to Benzema as he ghosts in at the far post. He then pulls it back for Alaba, who is initially denied by Herrera only to score on the follow-up.
13’ GOAL! What a response from Osasuna. Avila, their danger man, gets to the byline before smashing a low cross to the far post where Budimir is waiting to cushion a shot into the back of the net.
31’ NO GOAL! Budimir chests down a floated ball into the box and bobbles a shot past Courtois. His celebrations are cut short by the linesman’s flag and replays show that he was narrowly offside as he received the pass.
45’ GOAL! And, just like that, Real are ahead once more. Camavinga floats a heavenly cross to the far post where Ceballos slides in and forces a save from Herrera, who can only push the ball to the feet of Asensio. He stabs it home.
50’ PENALTY! Oh no. It’s a blatant penalty, Avila mistiming a slide tackle on Rodrygo only to dispossess him with his hand.
51’ PENALTY SAVED! Benzema steps up and tries to roll one into the corner, but Herrera makes an acrobatic dive and pushes the ball round the post. Ceballos almost scores from the resulting corner, but his shot goes just wide.
57’ PENALTY! This is ridiculous. Vidal drags down Rodrygo, giving Benzema a chance to make amends from the spot.
58’ SAVED! AGAIN! Surely not. Benzema goes exactly the same way and Herrera makes exactly the same save. Goodness gracious.
90+5’ GOAL! Real strike late through Vazquez, nicely set up by Vinicius, to secure the win.
