Madrid with the seventh strike?
Leaders Real Madrid will host Osasuna on Sunday evening. The visitors from Pamplona can be satisfied with their start to the new season: Two thirds of the six league games they have played have ended victoriously.
As a reward for this exploit, they also occupy a respectable fifth place in the table. The champions, however, top this record once again.
The hosts have won all six league games and most recently also won the prestigious “Derbi madrileno” against city rivals Atletico away from home. Things couldn’t be better for the Madrilenians at the moment.
For the match between Real Madrid and Osasuna, the tip is also aiming for a home victory with at least a two-goal difference.
Real Madrid – Statistics & current form
The Madrilenians will be able to call on Karim Benzema again for the first time against CA. The French top scorer has been absent for the past three competitive games due to injury, but is now available again.
He also did not play any games for the World Cup winners during the recent international break due to his ailment, which should make him extra rested.
Benzema with next goal?
With this in mind and his previously very strong form, betting odds on his next goal celebrating comeback are additionally a good idea in the clash between Real Madrid and Osasuna. Before his injury, the oldie had already scored three goals in four appearances.
Moreover, he will be very motivated as he still has a score to settle in this pairing. Benzema missed two penalties in the last encounter!
Coach Carlo Ancelotti can also be satisfied with his attack. Only second-placed Barcelona have one more goal in a league-wide comparison with 18.
Rodrygo is turning up the heat
Among others, Rodrygo must be mentioned positively here. Like Benzema, the Brazilian has already scored three times in four La Liga appearances. He should not be too tired either, as he only made two short appearances during the international break.
His other strike partner and compatriot Vinicius Junior, on the other hand, had to play much longer periods in the Selecao’s two international matches.
Against this background, Rodrygo will now be fresher. His form is good anyway: Since his return from injury, he has scored in all three league matches in which he was in the starting line-up!
Federico Valverde is also in good form on the offensive. The Uruguayan has scored in each of his last three competitive games for Real at national and international level.
After a very disappointing last season with not a single goal in 31 appearances, there seems to be a definite improvement in the attacker’s playing time ahead.
Defence with room for improvement
But there is room for improvement in the capital’s defensive performance: They have yet to record a clean sheet in any of their six league games!
Predicted Real Madrid line-up:
Courtois – Militao – Alaba – Mendy – Carvajal – Modric – Tchouameni – Kroos – Rodrygo – Benzema – Valverde
Last matches played by Real Madrid:
La Liga
19/09/2022 – Atletico Madrid 1 – 2 Real Madrid
Champions League Grp. F
15/09/2022 – Real Madrid 2 – 0 RB Leipzig
La Liga
11/09/2022 – Real Madrid 4 – 1 Mallorca
Champions League Grp. F
07/09/2022 – Celtic Glasgow 0 – 3 Real Madrid
La Liga
03/09/2022 – Real Madrid 2 – 1 Real Betis
Osasuna – Statistics & current form
The Basques have already won four of their six league games, but recently the form curve has nevertheless been pointing downwards. They have lost two of their last four La Liga games.
The fact that both of these defeats were without a goal of their own is also due to the injury to Aimar Oroz. The youngster was performing well before his injury, scoring two goals in four appearances.
Due to his performances, he was also nominated for the U21 national team for the first time, but because of his injury, he had to miss out during the last international break.
Although he trained with coach Jagoba Arrasate’s team again this week, it is not yet clear whether he will be able to play against Real. The same applies to Ruben Pena, at least with regard to a starting eleven.
The defensive newcomer from Villarreal was only on the pitch for around half an hour in the recent defeat against Getafe after overcoming an injury.
Top scorer out
Last season’s tenth-placed team will also have to do without their top goal scorer. We are talking about midfielder Chimy Avila.
The Argentine was sent off in the defeat against Getafe, which means he will not be able to add to his three goals for the time being, as the 28-year-old will be suspended against Real.
In view of these personnel problems at the Estadio El Sadar, betting on a home win to nil for the match between Real Madrid and Osasuna is also worth considering, despite the aforementioned defensive problems of the home side.
Budimir is running behind his form
This is also supported by the fact that Croatian Ante Budimir is in a crisis of form. The striker recorded 19 goals for the visitors in the last two seasons, but the ex-St. Pauli player has been denied a goal so far this season.
Predicted line-up of Osasuna:
Herrera – Garcia D. – Garcia U. – Cruz – Vidal – Brasanac – Torro – Garcia R. – Sanchez – Gomez – Budimir
Last matches played by Osasuna:
Friendly club matches
22/09/2022 – Real Valladolid 0 – 2 Osasuna Pamplona
La Liga
18/09/2022 – Osasuna Pamplona 0 – 2 Getafe
13/09/2022 – Almeria 0 – 1 Osasuna Pamplona
04/09/2022 – Osasuna Pamplona 2 – 1 Rayo Vallecano
27/08/2022 – Real Betis 1 – 0 Osasuna Pamplona
Real Madrid – Osasuna Direct comparison / H2H record
In their last meeting for the time being, last April, Real scored a 3-1 away win at Osasuna. Not a new pattern in this pairing: Madrid have not lost to the 2007 UEFA Cup semi-finalists for no less than 16 meetings!
Instead, the champions have picked up a dozen wins in La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and four times the match against CA has ended in a draw.
The visitors’ last success in Madrid was almost two decades ago
Away, the visitors have also not won at the Bernabeu for more than 18 years. The last success of “Gorritxoak” was in 2004 – a time in which today’s legends such as David Beckham, Luis Figo or Zinedine Zidane played against the ball at Madrid.
Real Madrid – Osasuna Tip
The home side have played nine competitive games on the domestic and European stage this season and have won every time! Against this background, the Madrilenians’ form can be described as very stable.
With Benzema, a particularly accurate striker returns to the team. In addition, they will continue to play with concentration, as Barcelona are similarly strong and are also unbeaten, only two points behind.
For the match between Real Madrid and Osasuna, the forecast includes another three-goal win, and with at least a two-goal difference.
In addition to the strong form of the hosts, the fact that the “Rojillos” arrive with personnel worries speaks for the tip.
Avila, their top scorer so far, is out, and it remains to be seen whether Oroz, who was also in good form before, will be able to return to action after his injury.
Last but not least, the prediction is supported by the aforementioned statistics in this pairing from the recent past: The visitors have not won in Madrid for 18 years and have since recorded 13 defeats and two draws.
