LaLiga: Osasuna Deny Real Madrid as Budimir Penalty Earns 1-1 Draw

Real Madrid's LaLiga title hopes suffered a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna, with Jude Bellingham's red card proving costly.

Real Madrid's grip on the top spot in the LaLiga table has loosened after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna at the El Sadar Stadium. The result extends Osasuna's unbeaten run in the league to five games, with four draws and one win. This setback for Real Madrid comes at a crucial juncture, with the top three teams in LaLiga separated by a mere two points.

Carlo Ancelotti's decision to rest key players ahead of the second leg against Manchester City in the Champions League nearly paid off, but ultimately proved costly. Despite the rotated lineup, Real Madrid began brightly and took the lead in the 15th minute. A period of sustained possession culminated in Federico Valverde surging down the right flank, delivering a low cross that Kylian Mbappe expertly finished into the roof of the net with his first touch.

FT: #OsasunaRealMadrid 1-1

LALIGA leaders, Real Madrid are held to a draw against CA Osasuna. 🤝#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/UB5VtKStYj

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 15, 2025

Osasuna refused to let their unbeaten run come to an end without a fight, and they nearly equalized just before the half-hour mark. Aimar Oroz collected the ball in the box and unleashed a powerful shot, but Thibaut Courtois was equal to the task, expertly turning the ball around the post.

Real Madrid's afternoon took a turn for the worse five minutes before halftime when Jude Bellingham was given his marching orders. The English midfielder was shown a straight red card for dissent towards the referee, leaving his team with a daunting task for the remainder of the match.

Mbappé is a GOAL MACHINE. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/LIpGDQYm9J

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 15, 2025

The second half began with Osasuna on the front foot, and they were awarded a golden opportunity to equalize just before the hour mark. Ante Budimir was fouled by Eduardo Camavinga in the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot. The decision was met with fierce protests from the Madrid players and bench, who felt aggrieved by the call. Budimir, however, remained composed and slotted the penalty past Courtois to draw his side level.

With the score tied and a man down, Real Madrid adopted a more cautious approach, opting to sit back and look for opportunities to counterattack. The tactic seemed to be one of damage limitation, as Los Blancos aimed to salvage a point from the match. As a result, the final moments of the game were relatively uneventful, with both teams settling for a share of the spoils.

The draw has significant implications for the LaLiga title race, as Real Madrid's failure to win opens the door for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona to overtake them. Both teams have the opportunity to leapfrog Los Blancos this weekend, while Osasuna's point moves them up to seventh place in the table.