Real Madrid vs Osasuna Review
Vinícius Júnior played a crucial role in helping Real Madrid break free from their recent struggles, scoring a hat-trick in a commanding 4-0 victory against Osasuna. This win extended Los Blancos’ remarkable unbeaten streak in head-to-head matches to 22 games. After facing a tough few weeks and receiving criticism for their disjointed play this season, Carlo Ancelotti’s team needed to deliver a strong performance for their home fans. Despite a slow start, Madrid faced a setback with injuries to Rodrygo and Éder Militão, both of whom were substituted before the 30-minute mark.
Despite their inconsistent performance this season, moments of individual brilliance have shone through, with Vinícius Júnior providing a timely highlight by receiving the ball on the left side, cutting in, and striking it into the net. Once the deadlock was broken, Real Madrid gained confidence, and Jude Bellingham scored a second goal before halftime. A brilliant long pass from debutant Raul Asencio set Bellingham up for a clear shot on goal, allowing him to chip the ball over the advancing Sergio Herrera for his first goal of the season.
However, Ancelotti faced another injury setback as Lucas Vázquez had to leave the game at halftime. Nevertheless, with a two-goal lead, his players were free to pursue a third goal. They nearly achieved this just minutes into the second half when Kylian Mbappé found Vinícius in the box, but the Brazilian missed the target, sending his shot wide of the right post. Vinícius’ second goal came in the 60th minute when he sprinted down the field on a quick counterattack, rounded Herrera, and calmly finished into an empty net. He completed his hat-trick when Brahim Díaz passed the ball to him, marking his first La Liga hat-trick since May 2022.
Carlo Ancelotti then decided to rest Vinícius and Bellingham for the last 15 minutes, allowing Madrid to comfortably see out the game, as Osasuna struggled to threaten their opponents, managing only one off-target shot throughout the match. This victory keeps Madrid close to Barcelona, while Osasuna remains in fifth place.
