Real Madrid vs Osasuna

La Liga

Score.   4   –    0

9 November 2024

Santiago Bernabeu

1st Half Game Analysis

In this game in the starting lineup, we find Rodrygo, Camavinga, and Fran Garcia with other regular players. I, personally feel that Vasquez was not there as this side has been the loophole for Madrid’s weakness and most of the teams found out this and they seem to manipulate this space to their advantage. 

In the 2nd minute, Madrid got a corner and Militao tried for a back volley, but he could not hit the ball, funnily he fell on the ground, and also Rudiger too flattened in the box. Vini got the ball outside the box line and he tried a goal shot, but the ball flew too high and out. Immediately, Madrid had a second corner, but this too could not be utilized. 

Mbappe got his first goal attempt in the 7th minute. Rudiger gave a long pass and Mbappe took the ball and ran with it, but he was covered by a defender in the box so his shot lacked power and it was easily saved by the keeper. 

By the 15th minute of the game, Real Madrid had 7 corner kicks. During the course, once Rodrygo had a good long shot into the post aiming toward the left post, but the keeper well blocked away the ball for another corner. 

Rodrygo had a problem with his previous injury in the 19th minute of the game, and he was replaced by Brahim. So far Rodrygo was doing a good job in the right-wing position.

In the 27th minute, Vini threw the ball into the Osasuna box and, I think, Militao was at the right spot, but he was pulled down by a defender, and in the process, he got hurt his previous knee injury. He was on the ground for a long time and had to be taken out on a stretcher. It was a terrible loss for Madrid as he is a good defense player. I hope he will recover soon to join the team. 

Militao’s place was taken over by a fairly new player, Raul Asencio, from the B division team. Madrid’s two key players were hurt and out of play for the time being. I hope they will recover soon and will be fit to join the team. 

So far in the game, Real Madrid had been dominating, and most of the play was in Osasuna’s half, and constant threat at the goalpost of Osasuna without any breakthrough for Madrid. 

One point to be noted in this game; so far as more than 30 minutes had passed Osasuna had not been able to create any dangerous attack toward Madrid’s post. Osasun’s effort had been fully concentrated on defending, and so they were lacking in building good attacks toward Madrid’s post. 

In the 35th minute, Madrid had a breakthrough at last. Vini got the ball from Bellingham on the left flank, he ran and dribbled a defender, and he shot the ball precisely into the post. This time his shot was very precise and fast, so the keeper could not hand the ball. If Vini keeps delivering this kind of shots with precision and speed, he can double his goalscoring ability and uplift his reputation and credibility way high up in the football world. 

By the 38th minute, possession was 74% for Real Madrid and just 24% for Osasuna. In this game, Real Madrid had total control of the game, as they created several attacks and, at the same time, did not allow a single dangerous attack into their goalpost until this time.  

In the 40th minute, Vazquez too got hurt and he was out for a treatment of his left thigh. Madrid had too many injuries in this 1st half of the game, and it is not a good sign for the team for their future games at all. 

The new player, Asencio, sent a long ball over the top into the Osasuna half, and Bellingham picked up that ball just outside the box. He took the ball into the box and as he had only to beat the keeper, he just tipped the ball overhead the keeper, and thus the 2nd goal was scored. It was the first goal of Bellingham this season, he looked quite relieved. 

It was the wonderful pass from Asencio that shaped this 2nd goal. So to score goals, the team needs to create passes like this for their forwards.

At Mbappe’s pass, Camavinga took a goal shot from a close distance into the open post, but the ball flew too high above the bar. Again this is what the team needs to avoid. They must be precise and calculating in their goal attempts in every situation. Madrid lost their previous two big matches because of their lack of poor finishing skills. I hope they do better in future games. 

In the extra time of the 47th minute, Bellingham got another chance to shoot for the goalpost in a close range from the left of the post in a crowdy mess, but his shot was well blocked by a defender. As he clashed with a defender, he was on the ground for a long time in pain. 

In the 1st half of the game so far, Madrid played well took the game in their control, and scored two goals to nil. They led so many attacks and at the same time, their defense too was strong enough as they did not allow Osasuna to have a single dangerous ball posing a threat to their goalpost. 

About the players, Vini played very well, and so did Bellingham. I found Bellingham the hardest-working player in the team. Brahim too seen working hard and doing his best in the field. As for Mbappe he was not much seen and his impact in the game was lacking so far. A new teammate, Asencio contributed well in his first game by assisting a goal by Bellingham. 

2nd Half Game Analysis

In the second half, Modric replaced Vazquez and Valverde moved to the right-back position. Madrid’s right-back position is in serious problem as Carvajal is out for the whole season, and the right player for this position is not available in the team. 

Vini had a good opportunity in the 48th minute as he got a pass from Mbapppe inside the box from the left, and Vini shot the ball aiming the far post on the right, but the ball rolled out of the right side of the pole for out. Here Vini missed the chance as it could have been a goal. This time he again lacked the power and precision shot. Vini must focus on these two skills and he will be scoring goals right and left for his team. 

In the 50th minute, Mbappe got the ball and passed to Bellingham in the box, but the chance was fumbled away. Anyway, Mbappe was found again offside. So Mbappe must be very careful with his offside position again and again in the games which will not help the team to win. 

Real Madrid was playing a far better game against Osasuna. The passes were more fluid and compact, even regaining the loose balls, the defense seemed sturdier, had good control of the game, and hence Osasuna was almost crippled, so they could not create any chance for goal shots. 

In the 55th minute, Mbappe received the ball in his own half on the left flank and he took off in his usual speed toward the Osasuna post, but as he was on the 18-yard line, he was pushed by a defender and fell down. A free kick was given just at the edge of the box line for Madrid. Mbappe took the free kick shot, the shot hit the wall and could not be of much use. 

Mbappe got a goalpost shot in the 60th minute at a pass by Vini inside the box. Vini passed the ball on the left flank inside the box to Mbappe and he could take a goal shot, but the ball touched the outside net of the left pole only. Once again Mbappe failed to convert his chance to a goal. 

In the 61st minute, Vini scored a solo goal by defeating a defender and the goalkeeper. Osasuna had a corner kick, the kicked ball was grabbed by Lunin in the air, and he, without losing any time, kicked the ball high into the opposition field. As almost all Osasuna players were ahead in Madrid’s half, Vini seeing the opportunity, chased the ball all alone, and by defeating the goalkeeper, he just pushed the ball into the post for the third goal of the evening. It was a superb assistant by Lunin who guessed the opportunity for such a goal for his team. 

In the 65th minute once again, Vini got the ball from Mbappe and as he was inside the box, he swept the ball into the box but the keeper could block it and thus the attempt was missed. In this instant too I think Vini could have easily scored another goal if he had moved to his left to avoid the keeper and shot the ball in as he did earlier. This time he shot the ball a bit too early, so the angle was tight and the ball could be blocked by the keeper. 

By the 65th minute of the game, Madrid had a total of 15 shots, while Osasuna could have just 1 shot, and out of those shots, 7 were on target. This reflects how Madrid was doing in this game after two serious defeats at home ground in earlier games.

In the 68th minute, Madrid built up a fast and lighting attack build-up. Vini gave a good pass to Brahim on the right flank, in turn, Brahim threw a crossball, but it was deflected by a defender. The deflected ball reached Valverde and he took a good shot, but again, the brave keeper blocked the ball and avoided the chance. 

An amazing thing happened in the 69th minute, Vini scored his 3rd goal of the evening, thus his hat trick. Brahim brilliantly snatched the ball out of a defender inside the box and he passed the ball to Vini. Vini without much difficulty shot the ball into the box. I must say that Brahim is a really hard-working fellow and he gives his 100 percent in the game. 

In the 75th minute, Endrick and Guler substituted Vini and Bellingham respectfully. Vini needed to be given rest and so was to Bellingham. 

Till the 83rd minute, Real Madrid had led 25 attacks, of them 11 were from the left wing, 9 were from the center, and the rest 5 from the right wing. 

Vini was declared the Man of the Match and, no doubt, he played superbly and scored a hat trick. His influence in the game was tremendous and he was able to turn the table in his favor. Mbappe tried but, again, he was not able to score, and also he kept faltering as in the previous games. Mbappe did play on the left side too occasionally, perhaps this was deliberate so he could be used the best way possible. 

The other players who shined, in my opinion, were Camavinga, Fran Garcia, and Brahim. These players were seen to work hard to their tails. The new guy Asencio seemed to be good enough to play in the right back position as he looked tough and worked well in this game, and also assisted in adding a goal. 

Real Madrid played their best game against Osasuna. I wish Madrid had played this way in their previous two games, certainly, they would have won those games too. Madrid’s defense was stronger, attacks were more precise, good ball passing, and better understanding among the players in the team. Sharp observant of the situations by players like in the passes by Asencio and Lunin that converted into the goals. 

Statistics

Real Madrid                      Osasuna

68.1%.      Possession           31.9%

18              Shots Attempts     2

8                Shots on goal         0

2                Offsides                    1

11              Corner kicks           3

0               Saves                          4

0               Yellow card             2

 

Source: espn.com