Just like that, the LaLiga title race has shifted back in favor of Barcelona as Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Osasuna on Saturday. Vinicius Junior scoring in his third consecutive match wasn’t enough to see Los Blancos take all three points as they look to maintain a slim one-goal advantage over Barcelona while also seeking advancement to the last 16 of Champions League play with a second leg versus Benfica looming on Wednesday (catch the action on Paramount+).
With the loss, Barcelona can go one point clear atop the league with a victory over Levante on Sunday, ramping up the road to El Clásico on May 10. Real Madrid still controlstheir destiny but matches like this one, where points were dropped, conceding a goal in the 92nd minute of play, are the ones that will loom if manager Alvaro Arbeloa isn’t able to secure the LaLiga crown. Of course, a loss had to come somewhere when Real Madrid were previously unbeaten in their last nine league matches, so it’s better that it happens here instead of at another time down the road.
The improved form of Vinicius will be good to see in the long run, as it’ll make Real Madrid a more balanced side, but this is another match where too many easy chances were given to Osasuna. Los Blancos gave up 13 shots, including a penalty for a total of 2.05 xG, and even with rotation in defense, it’s a strange one for Real Madrid to allow to a team that has only scored 30 goals all season. Margins are fine, and expectations are high for Los Blancos, so these are moments when Arbeloa’s leadership is critical, especially during a week with trying incidents like this one.
In Champions League play, Vinicius Junior was allegedly racially abused by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, and it’s hard to tell how that impacts the squad during matches like this one, especially with another match against the Portuguese side looming. On any given day, Arbeloa has a tough job managing Los Blancos, but it’s one that becomes much harder when needing to take into account events like that. They’ll have to have a short memory of these dropped points as well, with UCL play returning, but when they’re coming off a lengthy winning streak, there’s no better time than midweek to start their next one.
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