Real Madrid bounced back from their defeat to Real Sociedad in Copa del Rey, with an impressive 4-1 win against Osasuna at El Sadar Stadium.
Unai Garcia’s diving header put Osasuna ahead at 14 minutes of the match, but two goals in five minutes from Isco and Sergio Ramos gave Real Madrid 2-1 lead at 38 minutes of the match.
Lucas Vazquez, who replaced Gareth Bale, and fellow substitute Luka Jovic, who replaced Isco, both found themselves in the score sheet. It was Welshman’s first start in five games.
Zinedine Zidane always demands intensity and involvement from his players, yet it was the host who went ahead 1-0 in the opening minutes of the game. Osasuna made their positive start count as Garcia headed in from Ruben Garcia’s corner.
Real Madrid eventually levelled when Bale’s mishit shot went to Isco, who pull a sharp volley, which went past Sergio Herrera. Isco scored his first league goal of this season. Then its came to captain Sergio Ramos, who nodded in Casemiro’s headed pass to make it 2-1 to Real Madrid.
The result remained in the balance until Lucas Vazquez powerfully converted from Karim Benzema’s pass, while 22-year-old Jovic scored the fourth at 88th minute.
Gareth Bale, 30, was substituted after 70 minutes in his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury a few weeks back. Bale controversy that erupted few moths back and destabilised Real Madrid, seems thing of past. Afterwards Zidane and Bale both have responded to the situation in a professional manner, as the French manager labelled Bale as an important player in this squad.
He’s an important player… I think that, having not played in the last few matches, he had a good 65 minutes offensively and defensively… The problem is that they want us to have a problem with Gareth, but we don’t have one.
ZInedine Zidane, on Gareth Bale
The victory takes Real Madrid six points clear at the top of the LaLiga Santander table before Barcelona play Real Betis in Sunday’s late kick-off. Defending champions Barcelona beat Real Betis 3-2 later in another thriller to stay at second place.
It was a typical game against Osasuna… We knew that the match was going to be like that…
Casemiro, on tough test at Osasuna
In other years, Real Madrid lost the title at places like Osasuna
Lucas Vazquez, on Previous LA LIga Campaigns
- Inter 4-2 Milan: Inter fight back from 0-2 to win despite Zlatan onslaught
- Betis 2-3 Barcelona: Messi masterclass ensures Barca turnaround
- Osasuna 1-4 Real: Real Madrid fight back to win, stay clear at top
- Juventus 1:2 Verona – Champion stunned, Ronaldo set a new record
- Everton 3:1 Palace – Everton set for Champions League race
- Emmanuel Petit: Messi’d struggle in Premier League. He’s not Ronaldo!
- Bayern president labels Ronaldo ‘too old’, refuting transfer claim
- World’s highest paid footballers and managers in 2020
- Barcelona 0-1 Athletic – Barca knocked out of Copa del Rey at injury time
- Madrid 3-4 Sociedad – Odegaard, Isak dished Real a shocker
