Osasuna - Real Madrid: Carvajal and Alaba start as Madrid chase to hold LaLiga lead
Real Madrid visit El Sadar on Saturday 21 February for osasuna - real madrid in Jornada 25 of LaLiga, with Dani Carvajal and David Alaba named in the starting XI as the visitors aim to defend a lead at the top of the table.
Osasuna - Real Madrid: stakes and standing
Real Madrid arrive at El Sadar as leaders of LaLiga with 60 points, two ahead of Barcelona, while Osasuna sit 10th with 30 points ahead of this Jornada 25 meeting on Saturday 21 February. The clash follows Real Madrid's midweek trip to face Benfica in the Champions League playoffs first leg, and the team has returned focus to the league ahead of the next European fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Lineups at El Sadar
The announced starting XIs for osasuna - real madrid show Osasuna fielding Sergio Herrera; Valentin Rosier; Alejandro Catena; Jorge Herrando; Javi Galán; Lucas Torró; Jon Moncayola; Aimar Oroz; Rubén García; Víctor Muñoz; and Ante Budimir. Real Madrid's selected XI lists Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal; Raúl Asencio; David Alaba; Álvaro Carreras; Aurélien Tchouaméni; Federico Valverde; Eduardo Camavinga; Arda Güler; Kylian Mbappé; and Vinícius Júnior, with Carvajal and Alaba explicitly confirmed in the starting eleven.
Injuries, cautions and immediate implications
Real Madrid will be without several players for the match on Saturday 21 February: Jude Bellingham, Éder Militão, Rodrygo and Dean Huijsen remain sidelined. Rodrygo is out with tendinitis in his right ischiotibial; Bellingham is recovering from a semitendinosus muscle injury; and Militão has a rupture in the left biceps femoral, with the latter two not expected back until at least April. No player is suspended for this fixture, but Álvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono arrive at El Sadar on four yellow cards and must avoid bookings that would cost them the next league match against Getafe in fecha 26.
The selection decisions for osasuna - real madrid and the enforced absences force Real Madrid to rely on the available midfield and attacking options—Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior—to sustain their lead in the standings on Saturday 21 February at El Sadar.
Off the field, recent controversy linked to the Champions League tie involving Vinícius has kept the squad united; the coaching staff and players emphasized collective support in the days before the match on Saturday 21 February.
After the fixture at El Sadar, Real Madrid's next confirmed engagement is the return leg of the Champions League playoff against Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu, a match that follows this Jornada 25 LaLiga meeting and shapes selection and recovery decisions for the club.
