“After a 15-year gap, Barça returns to the top at Real’s expense”

The intense cat-and-mouse rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona shows no signs of abating this La Liga season. Last night, at El Sadar Stadium, Real Madrid suffered a 2–1 defeat to Osasuna, a result that has intensified the title race.

Barcelona, who lost 2–1 to Girona last week, had ceded the top spot to Real with a two-point advantage. Had Real defeated Osasuna, they could have extended that lead to five points. Instead, Real experienced a La Liga defeat at Osasuna’s ground for the first time in 15 years — their previous loss there came in 2011.

This unexpected setback has left Real Madrid vulnerable at the summit. Tonight, Barcelona will face Levante at the Camp Nou, and a victory would allow Hansi Flick’s side to overtake Real, taking a one-point lead at the top.

Currently, the La Liga standings for the leading clubs are as follows:

Before this defeat, Real Madrid had won eight consecutive La Liga matches. Despite entering last night’s match as clear favourites and dominating possession, Carlo Ancelotti’s team struggled to convert control into decisive goals.

The scoring began in the 38th minute when Ante Budimir put Osasuna ahead with a penalty. Vinicius Junior equalised for Real in the 73rd minute, but Osasuna secured a dramatic 90th-minute winner through Raul Garcia, leaving the visitors frustrated.

After the match, Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa expressed his disappointment:

“We did not play well. We need to perform much better. There were moments when we controlled the match, but the tempo was lacking. On Wednesday, we face another final-like match in the Champions League against Benfica, which is extremely important for us.”

Indeed, Real will host Benfica at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the Champions League playoff return leg on Wednesday. They hold a 1–0 advantage from the first leg in Lisbon, but with the La Liga title race now so tight, both domestic and European challenges lie ahead.