New Delhi: The champions managed to secure a victory against bottom dogs Osasuna, but only after an early scare.
Every week at Real Madrid is a media cavalcade, but even by their standards the events of the last few days have been nothing short of incredible.
Ramon Calderon has gone, Vicente Boluda is the new man at the helm, but it was time to forget the upheaval off the pitch and start to concentrate on the action on it.
Juande Ramos went with Raul and Higuain up front again, while Walter Pandiani was looking to keep up his good run for the visitors Osasuna.
The bottom club in the Primera Division gave the champions problems early on, and they took a shock lead after twenty minutes of play.
Jaroslav Plasil swung in a teasing cross to the back post, and Javad Nekounam leapt high above Cannavaro to plant a looping header across Casillas and into the net. At that stage Osasuna, were good value for their lead and deserved credit for taking the game to their more illustrious hosts.
Madrid then entered a spell of dominance but couldn’t fashion an equaliser. Higuain and Robben both had opportunities to tie the match, but Roberto made good stops to deny both as Los Merengues began to get frustrated. Madrid have been fallable at home this season and have been liable to conceding goals, but did they have the belief to turn around the scoreline?
The second half began, and the answer was a resounding yes. Just four minutes in and Sergio Ramos cut it and fired a shot towards goal that looked to comfortable for ‘keeper Roberto. However, the ball kicked up in front of him and he could only palm the ball into his own net.
That error put Madrid into the ascendency and they set about trying to secure the three points. Osasuna were under intense pressure, and a team in their position in the table are always likely to struggle to contain a rampant Madrid. Robben had been largely ineffective, but in the 64th minute he produced the cross that sealed the win.
The Dutchman jinked towards the byline and played in a sliderule cross to Higuain, who couldn’t miss from three yards out. The turnaround was harsh on Osasuna, and after leading against Barcelona last weekend only to ultimately lose, history was repeating itself just a week later.
But this is Real Madrid, and not a day can pass without controversy, and the end of this fixture had one of the most bizarre incidents of what has been a crazy season.
Juanfran skipped past Pepe in the Madrid area, and the Portuguese lunged in and clearly brought down the Osasuna midfielder. The referee looked to have given the penalty, but unbelievably, he gave Juanfran a second yellow card for diving, and sent him off. It was a scandalous decision, and Madrid were extremely fortunate to stay in front.
To rub salt into Osasuna wounds, Arjen Robben made it 3-1 to Madrid in the closing minutes with a strike across Roberto and into the net, to make the scoreline look more emphatic that it really was.
The champions managed to notch up another win. It wasn’t a vintage display, but after the turmoil that had taken place, the victory was most important, and most welcome.
Goals:
Real Madrid:
Ramos (49'), Higuain (64') Robben (90')
Osasuna:
Nekounam (21')
Teams:
Real Madrid: Casillas; Ramos, Cannavaro (Huntelaar 45'), Pepe, Heinze; Gago, Diarra, Sneijder (Van der Vaart 46'), Robben; Higuain (Marcelo 79'), Raul
Osasuna: Roberto; Miguel Flano, Monreal (Javier Flano 46'), Azpilicueta, Josetxo; Nekounam, Punal, Masoud, Plasil (Portillo 67'); Juanfran, Pandiani
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