Real Madrid, leading La Liga, drew 1-1 with Osasuna this Saturday. Jude Bellingham received a red card in the match.
Tension defined the game as the Spanish champions, Real Madrid, initially took the lead with a goal from Kylian Mbappe. However, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when officials dismissed Jude Bellingham, the England international, for dissent towards the end of the first half.
Ante Budimir subsequently scored from the penalty spot at the 58-minute mark for Osasuna, extending Carlo Ancelotti’s team’s streak to three league games without a win. Later that Saturday, second-placed Atletico Madrid was due to face Celta Vigo, while third-place Barcelona planned to meet Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Anticipating the upcoming Champions League second-leg playoff against Manchester City, Ancelotti made several lineup changes. He rested Rodrygo and started Brahim Diaz. Real Madrid controlled the early game, moving the ball quickly, though officials dismissed a penalty appeal by Vinicius Jr. following Alejandro Catena’s challenge.
Mbappe nearly assisted Vinicius early in the game, but the Brazilian missed a crucial opportunity. Nevertheless, Madrid soon found reason to celebrate when Fede Valverde set up Mbappe for a clinical finish, notching his seventh goal in the last five La Liga matches. Osasuna managed one significant attempt in the first half through Aimar Oroz, but Thibaut Courtois made a remarkable save to deny him.
The game’s tension peaked when referee Jose Munuera Montero issued a red card to Bellingham following a heated exchange at the 39-minute mark.
Madrid, which has recently criticized Spanish refereeing standards, expressing concerns about bias, found additional reasons for frustration when Munuera Montero awarded a penalty to Osasuna in the second half. This decision came after Eduardo Camavinga’s late challenge on Budimir, echoing a similar penalty situation from last weekend’s Madrid derby.
Budimir, converting the penalty, claimed his 13th goal of the season, positioning him among the top scorers behind Lewandowski and Mbappe. Despite being a man down, Madrid pressed on, with Mbappe and Vinicius creating late chances. Still, Osasuna’s goalkeeper, Sergio Herrera, managed crucial saves, including one in stoppage time that denied Mbappe a last-minute winner.
This draw leaves Madrid in a precarious position as they continue to lead La Liga with their rivals close behind. The physical and mental strain of playing with ten men for nearly an hour is a concerning prelude to their upcoming clash with Manchester City at Santiago Bernabeu this Wednesday.
