Real Madrid bounced back in style with a dominant 4-0 victory over Osasuna in La Liga on November 9, powered by a sensational hat-trick from Vinicius Jr—his first since missing out on the Ballon d’Or. However, the comprehensive win was dampened by fresh injury woes for Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and Lucas Vazquez, which added to Los Blancos’ growing injury concerns.
The injury troubles began around the 20th minute when Rodrygo, who had only recently returned from an injury, showed signs of leg discomfort. Real Madrid quickly substituted him with Brahim Diaz to avoid further risk. Shortly after, disaster struck with Eder Militao suffering what appeared to be a severe knee injury, potentially an ACL issue. The Brazilian defender was stretchered off, prompting Raul Asencio to take his place.
Ironically, Real Madrid’s offensive efforts seemed to intensify following the injuries. Vinicius Jr., seemingly spurred on by his Ballon d’Or snub and motivated to “work 10x harder,” took control of the game. In the 34th minute, he opened the scoring, effortlessly receiving a well-placed pass from Jude Bellingham, breaking the offside trap, and unleashing a powerful strike past Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.
At halftime, yet another blow arrived for Real Madrid, with team captain Lucas Vazquez forced to leave the game due to a leg injury. Despite these setbacks, Real Madrid continued to press forward, and Bellingham soon added his name to the scoresheet, netting his first goal of the season in remarkable fashion. In the 42nd minute, he lofted the ball over the goalkeeper, giving Madrid a solid 2-0 advantage.
Vinicius Jr. went on to complete his hat-trick with additional goals in the 61st and 69th minutes, securing Real Madrid’s triumphant victory. The win propels Los Blancos to 27 points in La Liga, now trailing league leaders Barcelona by just six points. Osasuna, who struggled to handle Madrid’s relentless attack, remain in fifth place with 21 points.
While Madrid celebrates the emphatic win, they face tough questions regarding the health of their key players, especially as the season enters a critical phase. The extent of Militao, Rodrygo, and Vazquez’s injuries remains to be seen, but their absences could impact Madrid’s stability in the coming weeks.
