Madrid’s title push faces Osasuna test at El Sadar

With Real Madrid caught in the midst of a European battle, Osasuna and their in-form striker Ante Budimir will look to seize the moment when the La Liga leaders visit El Sadar on 15 February.

Carlo Ancelotti's side edged a thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester City in their Champions League play-off first leg and will host the Premier League champions on 21 February. In between, they face a tricky trip to Pamplona, holding a slender lead at the top, just one point ahead of Atletico Madrid and two clear of Barcelona.

Osasuna, ninth in the table, have made a habit of troubling Spain's elite at home. Earlier this season, they stunned Barcelona with a 4-2 victory, handing the Catalans their first league defeat of the campaign.

Central to their hopes will be Budimir, who has scored 12 league goals this season, trailing only Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Kylian Mbappe. The Croatian, who became Osasuna's all-time top overseas goalscorer in January, has netted 62 times since arriving from Mallorca in 2020.

Last week, he scored twice in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, snapping Osasuna's nine-match winless run in the league. His manager, Vicente Moreno, is in no doubt about his importance.

"(Budimir) is making history, he's doing his thing and he keeps doing it, he's not going to stop," said Moreno. "He works hard every day and can go in (good or bad) runs of form, but he's a player who has earned his place and for us, it's great he's putting them away."

Osasuna's struggles began with a 4-0 defeat at the Bernabeu in October, a result they will be eager to avenge. Madrid's defensive injuries offer them hope, with Budimir aiming to exploit the gaps, much like Erling Haaland did in midweek with a brace for City.

However, Osasuna will be without suspended centre-back Flavien Boyomo, who scored their late equaliser in Monday's 1-1 draw at Mallorca.

"We got one point and now we have to think about the ones we didn't get, and win them against Madrid, which is not easy either," said Moreno.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, believes his side are finally finding their rhythm after an inconsistent first half of the season.

"The quality of this team is never in doubt – this is the way forward," he said after the win over City. "This is where the season really starts."

Atletico Madrid will be in action immediately after Madrid's clash, hosting Celta Vigo, while Barcelona must wait until 19 February for their fixture against Rayo Vallecano.