Osasuna 1-1 Real Madrid: Bellingham sees red as 10-man Real Madrid are held at Osasuna, risks being leapfrogged by Atletico.

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Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti must be feeling so hard done by as they could only watch on, seeing their La Liga title ambitions suffered a major setback on Saturday afternoon, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna at El Sadar. The reigning champions took the lead in the 15th minute through Kylian Mbappe, who expertly turned Federico Valverde’s cross into the net. Mbappe’s goal further showed why he was a bargain for Madrid, as he guided the ball past the outstretched glove of Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

The match took a dramatic turn in the latter stages of the first half, as Jude Bellingham was handed a straight red card for dissent. The English midfielder’s exchange with the referee proved costly, leaving Real Madrid to navigate the remainder of the match with 10 men. Bellingham’s dismissal was a turning point in the match, as Real Madrid’s unfiltered dominance was disrupted and Osasuna gained more momentum especially going forward.

Osasuna capitalized on their numerical advantage in the 59th minute, as Ante Budimir converted a penalty to level the scores. Budimir’s spot-kick — a clinical one, sent Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois the wrong way. Despite their best efforts, Real Madrid were unable to respond, and the points were ultimately shared in a tense and closely contested affair.

The draw sees Real Madrid maintain a two-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, although their advantage could be erased on Saturday evening. Osasuna, meanwhile, move into seventh place, just three points adrift of sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano in the battle for European qualification.

The controversy surrounding Bellingham’s red card is likely to dominate the post-match discussion, with Real Madrid left feeling aggrieved by the decision. Nevertheless, Carlo Ancelotti’s side demonstrated immense character and resilience in playing out the match with 10 men to salvage a point, and this point could yet prove valuable in the title race.

As the season enters its critical phase, Real Madrid will be eager to bounce back from this setback and reassert their dominance in La Liga. With several key fixtures on the horizon, Ancelotti’s side will need to reset focus if they are to maintain their grip on the title and with an all important second-leg playoff clash against Manchester City in the Champions League up next.