Raúl García’s 89th‑minute winner hands Osasuna a 2-1 upset of Real Madrid

Osasuna beat Real Madrid 2-1 at El Sadar, with Raúl García de Haro scoring the decisive goal in the 89th minute to give his side a first victory over the visitors at that ground in 15 years. The result matters now because it followed a controversial opening and a spirited Madrid comeback that ultimately came up short in the closing minutes.

Raúl García de Haro seals win in the 89th minute at El Sadar

Raúl García de Haro produced the late winner in minute 89, a strike that players and staff described as the culmination of a match Osasuna judged to be exceptional. The scorer said the finish was a move he practices frequently, that he had executed similar goals in Segunda, and that he kept his composure to make the decisive cut and finish. A VAR check left the action described as tight, but the goal was confirmed and it gave Osasuna the victory they had not achieved on this pitch in 15 years.

Ante Budimir, the Courtois ‘pisotón’ and the penalty that opened the scoring

Ante Budimir put Osasuna ahead from the penalty that was awarded after what has been described as a clear step on Budimir by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The incident drew immediate debate: in live action some viewers did not initially perceive a penalty, while replays revealed the contact. The sequence put the match into the scenario that, commentators noted, exposes Madrid’s vulnerabilities.

Real Madrid: Carvajal and David Alaba return to the starting XI in 2025-26

Real Madrid manager Arbeloa named Dani Carvajal and David Alaba in the side, both returning to start after recovering from serious knee injuries; neither had started since 2 December 2023 in the 2-0 win over Granada at Chamartín. The selection was presented as a significant gamble in the 2025-26 season opener at Pamplona, with Arbeloa later explaining he preferred not to risk substituting Fede Valverde because the midfielder has been carrying persistent discomfort.

Fede Valverde and Vinicius combine to level before minute 75

Madrid responded when Fede Valverde launched a driving run down the left, breaking lines and delivering a tense cross that Vinicius placed with his right boot to equalize before the 75th minute. That goal—set up by what has been described as an attack of pure courage from Valverde—left Real Madrid with roughly 15 minutes to try for a comeback.

PAMplona, Indar Gorri and the stadium atmosphere

Pamplona once again proved a difficult away trip for the visitors. Osasuna’s coach, Lisci, praised his players’ hunger—saying the team wants more and that he liked that drive—while the crowd at Indar Gorri produced a charged atmosphere: a section of supporters directed death-threat chants at Asencio, and much of the rest of the stadium whistled and jeered Madrid players, with Vinicius among those singled out. Budimir, who was substituted in the 66th minute, received a monumental ovation on his way off.

Tactical threads: Mbappé, Courtois, Güler and the limits exposed

The match underlined a recurring point about Real Madrid’s platform: when the combination of Thibaut Courtois and Kylian Mbappé is not functioning, the team can lose its balance. Mbappé was described as unrecognizable compared with prior performances over several matches, and the failure of that Courtois‑Mbappé formula allowed Osasuna—organized, physical and sharp in attack—to exploit Madrid’s lack of sustained football. Observers pointed to the creative responsibility that falls on Güler in tangled games; his capacity to see passes and spaces had proved decisive in Lisbon and was again noted in Pamplona.

What makes this notable is how many distinct elements converged: a contentious penalty after a Courtois step on Budimir that made it 1-0, a Valverde‑fuelled response leading to a Vinicius equalizer before the 75th minute, and a late Raúl García de Haro finish in the 89th minute that VAR narrowly validated. Managers, players and columnists have already voiced sharp reactions, and Arbeloa addressed refereeing calls and squad management in his postmatch comments, including his view that two offside decisions went against his team and that there may have been a foul earlier in the game.