Osasuna Vs Real Madrid: Vinicius Jr scores but Raúl García 90th-minute strike stuns La Liga leaders
The headline clash Osasuna Vs Real Madrid ended in a 2-1 shock as Vinicius Jr had levelled for Álvaro Arbeloa's side before Raúl García produced a 90th-minute winner to stun the La Liga leaders. The result leaves title permutations open and sends immediate questions through Madrid's squad ahead of their next fixtures.
Osasuna Vs Real Madrid — match turning points
Ante Budimir put Osasuna ahead from the penalty spot after a video assistant review showed the goalkeeper had stood on Budimir's foot; the referee overturned an initial booking for simulation and Budimir calmly converted. Real Madrid then levelled when Federico Valverde surged down the left and crossed low for Vinicius Jr to slide home from close range in the 73rd minute. In added time, substitute Dani Ceballos lost possession, Raúl Moro released Raúl García, who beat Raúl Asencio and fired into the top corner to seal a famous win for Osasuna. Raúl García's strike was initially flagged for offside but, after a VAR review, the goal was given.
Key match incidents and discipline
Vinicius Jr was shown a yellow card for dissent. Trent Alexander-Arnold curled a free-kick well off target and was later booked for a foul on Víctor Muñoz right on the edge of the box. Alejandro Catena headed well off target at another point in the match. The atmosphere at Estadio El Sadar was electric as fans reacted to the late developments.
Arbeloa: intensity, player management and the immediate outlook
Álvaro Arbeloa reflected on intensity as an area for improvement, saying the team must match opponents' intensity and move the ball faster to create more danger. He noted the squad had not been able to string together games despite coming off three wins and described the situation as day-by-day, with work required to avoid doubt and improve performance over time. Arbeloa said he preferred not to risk Fede, who had been feeling discomfort in recent weeks, and confirmed Fede had rested last weekend and did not play against Real Sociedad.
Arbeloa also highlighted specific tactical points: the team had control of the first half but lacked speed; against deep defensive blocks they must move the ball quicker and create chances on both flanks rather than focusing heavily on the left. He warned that two very close offside calls had gone against them and that there could have been a foul in the previous play leading to the late goal. He added that the squad must be ready for another important game on Wednesday, the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Benfica.
Osasuna's form and Raúl García's impact
Osasuna are unbeaten in their last six La Liga matches (W4 D2), their best run of six or more without defeat in the competition since August 2024 (P6 W2 D4). Raúl García has now scored three goals after coming off the bench in La Liga this season. The late winner continued a dramatic sequence for the home side and underscored their resilience in front of their supporters.
Wider La Liga table implications and other weekend results
Barcelona trail Real Madrid by two points but can return to the top of La Liga if they beat Levante tomorrow; that match is scheduled for 15: 15 GMT. The result at El Sadar keeps the title race lively. Elsewhere, Atlético Madrid returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over Espanyol with Alexander Sørloth striking twice. Atlético sit fourth and this was their first league victory in four matches; they trail Real Madrid by 12 points but opened a six-point lead over Real Betis in fifth after Betis drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano.
In other European action, Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2: Bayern moved further clear at the top with a volley from Aleksandar Pavlovic and two goals from Kane among the decisive moments, while Frankfurt hit back through a penalty converted by Jonathan Burkardt and a late Arnaud Kalimuendo goal. Bayern recorded their 19th win in 23 league games. Borussia Dortmund fought back to draw 2-2 with RB Leipzig after trailing 2-0 at half-time, with a stoppage-time goal securing the draw. Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s second-half goal helped Inter move 10 points clear at the Serie A summit with a 2-0 win at Lecce.
What’s next
Real Madrid face an immediate return to continental duty with the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Benfica on Wednesday, a fixture Arbeloa identified as central to the team's focus going forward. The title race in La Liga will be shaped in the coming days, with Barcelona able to leapfrog the leaders if they win at home against Levante at the scheduled time. For now, Osasuna's late victory has injected fresh drama into the domestic title battle.
Arbeloa’s tactical adjustments are already under scrutiny and commentators noted a professional performance breakdown elsewhere in coverage of the match.
