Real Madrid blew their chance to move five points clear of Barcelona after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Osasuna on Saturday night. The Catalans face Levante today and can replace Los Blancos at the top of the La Liga table with a victory.
Alvaro Arbeloa's men knew the stakes were high ahead of their visit to El Sadar. Putting the pressure on the Blaugrana was crucial for their chances to become champions come the end of the season.
Madrid were unbeaten under Alvaro Arbeloa in La Liga until they fell to defeat against Osasuna. It was a dissapointing night that shows there are still glaring issues in the squad.
Asencio endures tough night in Real Madrid defeat
An injury crisis has been hugely problematic for Madrid this season. The defense have dealt with constant absentees and have rarely been afforded a lengthy period with a settled backline.
Arbeloa turned to David Alaba to partner Raul Asencio against Osasuna. Asencio has performed well this season but last night was one to forget for the youngster.
Asencio's defending was a concern, making several costly errors. He slid in to try and prevent Raul Garcia from scoring a last-gasp winner and failed to do so.
The 23-year-old won just one of four ground duels, gave the ball away five times and missed one big chance. He has been reliable for the majority of the season, but was poor last night.
Asencio slammed
The Spanish defender's performance was called out by many Madridistas following the defeat to Osasuna. Even ESPN pundit Rodra gave a grim verdict of his outing and claimed he was to blame for the loss.
Rodra said (via Madrid Universal):
"Real Madrid had to win this match no matter what. Once again, individual errors from Asencio that ruin everything the team had fought for."
❗️ .@Rodra10_97: "Real Madrid had to win this match no matter what. Once again, individual errors from Asencio that ruin everything the team had fought for." pic.twitter.com/wvXsoBlcSk
— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) February 21, 2026
Osasuna's opener came from the penalty spot when Thibaut Courtois brought Ante Budimir down in the box. Budimir sent Courtois the wrong way to put his side in front.
Vinicius Junior equalised for Madrid and put the racism row from the Benfica game to one side. His strike was in vein as the hosts eventually found a winner late in to stoppage time.
Asencio hasn't been fully fit in recent months but played through the pain barrier. Perhaps his lack of comfort is taking its toll and he might need a rest to recover.
He has made 28 appearances across competitions this season. Next up is the second leg of Los Blancos' Champions League play-off against Benfica on Wednesday.