Real Madrid bounced back from consecutive defeats with a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu, though their triumph was marred by a serious injury to defender Eder Militao.
The Brazilian centre-back sustained a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and damage to both menisci in his right knee after an awkward landing during a corner. The incident, which occurred after 30 minutes, saw 21-year-old Raul Asencio make his Real debut as Militao’s replacement.
Vinicius Jr proved to be the catalyst for Madrid’s resurgence, completing a clinical hat-trick. The Brazilian forward opened the scoring with a trademark run from the left, cutting inside to finish past Sergio Herrera. Jude Bellingham notched his first goal of the season, expertly converting Asencio’s precise long pass with a delicate chip over the Osasuna goalkeeper.
The second half saw Vinicius add two more to his tally, first capitalizing on Andriy Lunin’s excellent distribution to round Herrera, before completing his treble after Brahim Diaz dispossessed Enzo Boyomo to set up an easy finish.
However, Madrid’s injury woes continued to mount as both Rodrygo and Lucas Vazquez were forced off, adding to an already concerning list that includes Dani Carvajal and David Alaba. Carlo Ancelotti expressed his concern about the fixture schedule, stating: “Three injuries in the first half is quite rare. The demands of the schedule do not allow players to rest and be fresh. The risk of injuries is higher. It is a general thing, not just for us.”
The victory moves Real Madrid within six points of leaders Barcelona, who have the opportunity to extend their advantage when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday. Militao is set to undergo surgery in the coming days, with the club confirming the severity of his injury in an official statement.
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