By Real Madrid face a critical test Saturday afternoon at the Bernabeu against fifth-placed Osasuna, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side attempts to recover from consecutive home defeats that have intensified pressure on the defending champions.
Madrid’s recent stumbles — a 4-0 league defeat to Barcelona and Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League loss to AC Milan — have left them nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, albeit with a game in hand. The situation has begun to raise questions about Ancelotti’s position, despite the club’s league and European double just five months ago.
Team News:
Real Madrid’s challenges are compounded by fresh injury concerns, with Aurelien Tchouameni ruled out for approximately a month due to an ankle injury sustained against Milan. He joins Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba on the sidelines. Federico Valverde is expected to recover from a back problem to start in midfield.
Osasuna, meanwhile, arrive in excellent form with three straight victories, including two consecutive league clean sheets. Head coach Vicente Moreno has a fully fit squad and could maintain the same lineup that defeated Real Valladolid, with 17-goal striker Ante Budimir leading the attack.
Probable Lineups:
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
Osasuna (4-3-3): Herrera; Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Cruz; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Pena, Budimir, Zaragoza
Historical Context:
Osasuna haven’t beaten Real Madrid in any competition since January 2011, with their last Bernabeu victory coming in April 2004. However, they’ve earned draws in two of their last three visits and remain the only team to defeat Barcelona in La Liga this season.
The match kicks off at 4:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET) at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Madrid seek to avoid a third consecutive home defeat that could plunge the club into crisis ahead of the international break.
