Real Madrid face a must-win home match against Osasuna on Saturday afternoon, hoping to recover from consecutive losses at the Santiago Bernabéu to Barcelona and AC Milan.
The defending Spanish and European champions are currently second in La Liga, nine points behind leaders Barcelona who have played a game more. Osasuna come into the match in strong form, sitting in fifth place with 21 points from their first 12 games of the season.
It’s only been five months since Real Madrid clinched both the La Liga and Champions League titles for the 2023-24 season, but the pressure is already mounting on manager Carlo Ancelotti. At a club like Real Madrid, any slip-up is magnified, and recent losses have fans and pundits questioning whether the team is underperforming.
A 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona on October 26 in La Liga was followed by a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan at home in the Champions League on Tuesday, leaving Real Madrid in a tough spot. They are currently in 18th place in their Champions League group, though they still have a chance of advancing. The defeat to Barcelona, however, has been particularly damaging for both the team’s confidence and their position in the league standings.
Real Madrid’s scheduled match against Valencia last weekend was postponed due to flooding in Spain, and with Barcelona’s win over Espanyol, the gap between the two clubs has now stretched to nine points. If Real Madrid drop points again this weekend, heading into the international break, it could trigger a full-blown crisis and likely end their chances of winning the La Liga title—especially if Barcelona continue their excellent form with a win over Real Sociedad.
One player under particular scrutiny is Kylian Mbappé. The French forward has struggled to find his best form since joining Madrid, and it’s been reported that he’s unhappy with his role in the center. Ancelotti will be hoping that Mbappé can find his rhythm and lead the team back to winning ways.
Osasuna, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their excellent form. The Pamplona-based club hasn’t beaten Real Madrid in any competition since January 2011, and they haven’t won at the Bernabéu in La Liga since their historic 3-0 victory in April 2004.
However, they have managed two draws in their last three visits to the capital, and they’re coming into this match on a strong run of three consecutive wins—two of which were in La Liga.
Under manager Vicente Moreno, Osasuna have looked solid defensively, winning their last two league games against Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid—without conceding a goal. They also thrashed Chiclana 5-0 in the Copa del Rey earlier this week.
With six wins, three draws, and three losses in their first 12 league matches, Osasuna are sitting in fifth place, just three points behind Real Madrid, with a game in hand. They are also the only team to have beaten Barcelona in the league this season, so they’ll be hoping to add Real Madrid to their list of big scalps.
With Real Madrid in need of a win to avoid a deeper crisis and Osasuna full of confidence, Saturday’s clash at the Bernabéu promises to be an intense and pivotal fixture for both sides.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Real Madrid have been hit with another injury setback ahead of Saturday’s match, as Aurelien Tchouameni has been ruled out for around a month with the ankle injury he sustained against Milan on Tuesday.
Tchouameni joins a growing list of sidelined players, including Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba.
Federico Valverde also picked up a knock in the Milan game, suffering a back issue, but he’s expected to be fit for this match and should start in central midfield. Rodrygo, who came on as a substitute in the last match, is also likely to return to the starting XI. In Tchouameni’s absence, it’s expected that Eduardo Camavinga will slot into midfield and take on a more prominent role this weekend.
As for Osasuna, coach Vicente Moreno is expected to name a similar lineup to the one that beat Real Valladolid last time out, with Ante Budimir leading the attack. Budimir enjoyed a strong 2023-24 season, scoring 17 goals in La Liga, and has already netted six times this campaign. He will be supported in attack by Bryan Zaragoza and Ruben Peña.
Raul Garcia scored a brace in Osasuna's Copa del Rey win over Chiclana, but it’s unlikely to be enough to earn him a starting spot for this one.
Osasuna come into the match with a fully fit squad, with no new injury concerns, so Moreno will have his full range of options available as he prepares to face a Real Madrid side that is dealing with a number of key absences. This is shaping up to be an exciting and unpredictable clash.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Cruz; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Pena, Budimir, Zaragoza
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 2-1 Osasuna
Osasuna will likely feel confident about getting a positive result against a struggling Real Madrid, and we wouldn't be surprised if this one ends in a draw. That said, we have a feeling that Los Blancos will find a way to edge it and secure a crucial three points before the international break.
