Real Madrid's title hopes took a hit as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna in a tense LaLiga encounter on Saturday, playing most of the match with 10 men after Jude Bellingham's first-half dismissal.
The league leaders started brightly at the El Sadar stadium, with Kylian Mbappé putting them ahead in the 15th minute. The French striker capitalized on Federico Valverde's counter-attacking run to finish from close range, giving Madrid the early advantage they sought.
However, the visitors' momentum was severely disrupted when star midfielder Jude Bellingham was shown a red card in the 39th minute following a heated exchange with the referee. This dismissal forced Madrid to reorganize their strategy and play defensively for the remainder of the match.
Osasuna seized their numerical advantage in the second half, and their persistence paid off when Ante Budimir was fouled in the penalty area by Eduardo Camavinga. Budimir himself stepped up to take the spot kick, converting with composure in the 58th minute to level the scores.
The draw extends Real Madrid's concerning run of form, as they remain winless in their last three league fixtures. While they still lead the LaLiga standings with 51 points, their grip on the title race has loosened. Second-placed Atletico Madrid now sit just two points behind with a game in hand, while Barcelona lurk in third place, three points adrift with an additional match to play.
This result at El Sadar could prove costly in Madrid's pursuit of the league title, as both their city rivals Atletico and eternal rivals Barcelona have the opportunity to close the gap further in the coming weeks.
