Osasuna - Real Madrid upset reshuffles LaLiga chase and hands Barcelona a fresh opening

Why this matters now: the osasuna - real madrid match did more than hand three points to the home side — it turned Madrid's lead into a fragile, match-to-match proposition and handed Barcelona a clear opportunity to press. A 90th-minute golazo and a string of tactical choices left Madrid under observation and Osasuna vindicated for daring at the right moments.

Osasuna - Real Madrid: immediate consequences for the title race

The defeat has consequence: what looked like a steady lead can now feel ephemeral. The result gives Barcelona an occasion for reconquest and moves Arbeloa's team from pursuer to pursued. From Lisbon the squad had left with an all-clear; from Pamplona it went back under observation after what was described as a heavy, leaden match.

Match snapshot and decisive moments

Osasuna won at El Sadar thanks to a late, high-quality strike by Raúl García de Haro; that goal was validated by VAR by millimetres. Osasuna had earlier threatened through Ante Budimir, who tested Thibaut Courtois and even saw a header hit the post. A disputed penalty produced an important goal for Vinícius Júnior after a good cross from Federico Valverde, but it was not enough. The home team crafted its own luck by risking at the right moment and taking the three points.

Tactical choices, personnel and turning points

Arbeloa made notable defensive changes: three of the four defenders who had protected the team in Lisbon were rotated; one replacement was forced by the injury to Huijsen, and Trent and Rüdiger were dosed because of their risk history this season. After those moves the manager made no further substitutions, the context saying there was nothing better on the bench. Organization in midfield lacked a clear organizer, described as more siderurgic than creative, which limited release for both Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé arrived as a decisive addition earlier in the campaign but now appears probably hampered by knee problems and did not combine effectively with Vinícius; the Frenchman's outage effectively reduced Madrid's two-star threat to one.

Courtois played a role in keeping Madrid in the game at times, producing a strong save from a Budimir effort; a Budimir header also struck the post. There was an indecision between Raúl Asencio and Courtois that "ended with piso" — unclear in the provided context.

Individual performances and internal notes

Mbappé's lack of form and limited combinations with Vinícius were highlighted as a recurring issue. Vinícius was the most incisive Madrid player and scored after the disputed penalty, but his good match could not carry the team. Observers singled out Vinícius, Valverde and Tchouaméni as the only Madrid players who reached an acceptable level in the defeat. Camavinga was deployed very wide to the left to fill defensive gaps for Vinícius, and Arda Güler operated in a strict midfield role rather than an attacking one. The Osasuna approach leaned on home momentum — the club had gone without a home defeat since November and fielded what was described as its best eleven for the battle.

• Osasuna starting eleven: Sergio Herrera; Valentin Rosier; Alejandro Catena; Jorge Herrando; Javi Galán; Lucas Torró; Jon Moncayola; Aimar Oroz; Rubén García; Víctor Muñoz; Ante Budimir.
• Real Madrid starting eleven: Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal; Raúl Asencio; David Alaba; Álvaro Carreras; Aurélien Tchouaméni; Federico Valverde; Eduardo Camavinga; Arda Güler; Kylian Mbappé; Vinícius Júnior.

Here's the part that matters: Osasuna split rewards between two striking threats — Budimir earlier and Raúl García de Haro at the end — and that balance paid off in front of their crowd. Fifteen years after the last time, El Sadar once again toppled Madrid.

It’s easy to overlook, but the match narrative repeatedly emphasized a classic pattern: the visitor keeping possession and the home side relying on warrior-like counters and breakaways. That pattern defined the rhythm of the game until the decisive finale.

The real question now is how Arbeloa manages rotation and injury risk: the coach's choices to replace Huijsen and to rest Trent and Rüdiger were flagged as necessary but costly.

• Madrid's lead now looks vulnerable; one bad outing can swing momentum.
• Barcelona gains a tangible opening to close the gap in the title race.
• Osasuna's home form (no defeat at home since November) and full-strength eleven proved decisive.
• Mbappé's physical doubts and limited connection with Vinícius are immediate concerns for Madrid.
• VAR validation by millimetres on the 90th-minute goal underlines how fine margins decided the result.

Fixture path for Osasuna after the victory

Osasuna's near-future schedule is packed: they visit Valencia on Sunday 1 March, receive Mallorca on Friday 6, face Real Sociedad on Sunday 15 and host Girona on Sunday 22. In the Champions pathway they receive Benfica on Wednesday 25 in the return leg of the playoff, after which it will be known whether they advance to the round of 16. In LaLiga they also receive Getafe on Monday 2 March. All fixtures are subject to change.

Key takeaways above highlight who feels the impact and what could confirm the next turn: if Madrid stabilizes rotation and Mbappé recovers sharpness, the title race could normalize; if not, Barcelona's opportunity widens and Osasuna's confidence at El Sadar will be a recurring threat.