Real Madrid’s match against Osasuna was filled with controversy, particularly in the first half. The Whites dominated the game from the start, with Vinicius claiming a penalty for a handball by Catena, but the referee ruled it out. Kylian Mbappé then broke down the left and unleashed a precise shot, but Vinicius was unable to get a good grip on the ball.
The controversy continued when Vinicius was brought down in the area by Moncayola, but the referee saw nothing to penalize. Mbappé tried again from the left, but his shot was well saved by Sergio Herrera.
Despite the controversy, Real Madrid took the lead through Mbappé, who scored from a precise low cross from Fede Valverde. However, Osasuna were not about to give up, and Aimar Oroz broke free from his marker inside the area and unleashed a right-footed shot that forced Courtois into a fine save.
The controversy reached its peak just before half-time when Jude Bellingham was shown a straight red card for an exchange of words with referee Munuera Montero. The decision left Bellingham incredulous and changed the complexion of the game.
In the second half, Osasuna piled on the pressure, and VAR was once again the protagonist. A cross from the wing found Moncayola alone in the six-yard box, forcing Courtois into his second save of the game. Later, Budimir shot and was pushed by Camavinga, and the referee awarded a penalty after consulting VAR. Budimir converted the penalty to level the score.
Despite being a man down, Real Madrid still had some fight left in them. Mbappé found himself alone in front of Herrera, but took too long to make a decision, allowing Herrando to steal the ball from him. Vinicius produced a move worthy of Maradona, beating several defenders, but was in too much of a hurry to shoot, and the ball was cleared off the line by a Rojillos defender.
In the end, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, with the referee’s decisions once again being the main talking point. The result marked Real Madrid’s third successive league draw, and the controversy surrounding the match is sure to have repercussions.
