MADRID — Real Madrid‘s perfect LaLiga season came to an end with a 1-1 draw against visitors Osasuna in a match that saw Karim Benzema miss a late penalty.
Benzema returned to action in nearly a month after being sidelined with a thigh injury, but the French striker couldn’t convert from the spot in the 79th minute as Madrid’s six-game LaLiga winning streak to open the season was snapped.
Vinicius Junior gave Madrid the lead just before halftime, but Kike Garcia equalised it with a brilliant header from the edge of the area over backup keeper Andriy Lunin, who was playing in place of late scratch Thibaut Courtois.
With 19 points, Madrid are level with Barcelona at the top of the LaLiga standings, with El Clasico looming on Oct. 16.
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Rapid Reaction
1. Madrid’s first blemish not the worst
Real Madrid had been near impeccable so far this season, with a record going into this match that read nine games played between LaLiga, the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup, and nine wins. A 1-1 draw at home against an awkward opponent in Osasuna is no disaster, but it’s an unwelcome slip-up nonetheless, and an early reminder that the reigning Spanish and European champions are not infallible.
There are plenty of contributing factors to explain why Madrid weren’t quite firing on all cylinders here. Their best player, Karim Benzema, is only just back from injury, while Thibaut Courtois was absent (more on both in a moment) as was Luka Modric. There’s also often a sluggishness to the team post-international break, with so many members of the squad having been away with their countries.
The result leaves Madrid level on 19 points with a resurgent Barcelona at the top of the table and sets up a potentially thrilling two-team title race, with both sides having the chance to strike an early blow in El Clasico here at the Santiago Bernabeu on Oct. 16. By then, expect to see Madrid back up to full speed.
