November 09, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid returned to winning form with an emphatic 4-0 victory against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, led by Vinicius Junior’s masterful hat-trick performance.
Following consecutive home defeats to Barcelona in La Liga and AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were back to their attacking best. Vinicius Junior struck first in the 34th minute, followed by Jude Bellingham’s maiden goal of the season. The Brazilian forward then completed his treble with two additional strikes, marking his second hat-trick in four matches.
The victory came at a cost for Real Madrid, with injuries forcing the withdrawal of Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Lucas Vazquez. Militao’s departure on a stretcher, clutching his right knee, proved particularly concerning given his previous lengthy absence due to knee problems. The situation prompted the introduction of academy graduate Raul Asencio, who made his first-team debut.
Kylian Mbappe’s goal-scoring difficulties continued, with the forward managing just one goal in his past seven appearances. On the other hand, Real Madrid’s defensive improvement was evident with the hosts recording their first clean sheet after conceding nine goals in their previous three home fixtures.
The result reduced Barcelona’s lead at the top of La Liga to six points, with the Catalans scheduled to face Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
