Vinicius Junior scored twice but was booked in Real Madrid’s easy 4-2 win over Osasuna, and will not play again for the leaders until they face Manchester City in the Champions League.
Because of the international break and a weekend without league matches, because of the Spanish Cup final, Real Madrid only have one more La Liga fixture before they play City and Vinicius will now miss that game suspended because of first half dissent.
Before what was his 31st yellow in three seasons, he had already done enough to send Real Madrid on their way to victory.
Once he had picked the Osasuna defender’s pocket he only had the keeper to beat but the way he ran diagonally to his right and then shot across Herrera to find the far left corner was the finish of a player who feels he can’t miss at the moment.
Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid stomped to a 4-1 win over Osasuna in LaLiga
However, the Brazilian received a yellow card for dissent and is now suspended, meaning he won’t play until the Manchester City clash on April 9
Shortly afterwards he was over-confident and did miss an almost identical chance. First came Osasuna’s equalizer.
It arrived just three minutes after they had gone behind. A corner from the right was not cleared and the masked man Ante Budimir converted from inside the six-yard box. A face protector has done nothing to slow down Osasuna’s Croatian top scorer.
Then came Vinicius’ chance to make it 2-1. He was clean through again but this time Herrera made the save.
Andriy Lunin kept out a shot from Jesus Areso as Osasuna pushed forward in front of a noisy home crowd but it was Madrid who scored next. Dani Carvajal converted from Valverde’s cross. It was the full-back’s fourth goal of what is turning into his best season.
Jose Arnaiz cut in from the left and tried to find the far corner with his right foot but Andriy Lunin pushed it away as Osasuna tried to respond before the break. Madrid then went close again with a fierce Valverde shot that took a deflection off of Mojica only for Herrera to save.
The game was a spectacle, and by Osasuna against Madrid standards not overly feisty but Vinicius still managed to pick up that yellow that will see him miss Madrid’s next game against Athletic Bilbao.
On the hour Madrid put the game beyond doubt and it was route one simple. Lunin launched the ball down the pitch and when Valverde flicked it on Brahim ran on to it and sent it past Herrera for his sixth goal of the season.
He has upset some people in Spain for choosing Morocco over the Spanish national team but Madrid fans will not turn on someone who has adequately deputized for Bellingham.
Dani Carvajal scored his fifth goal of the season. This is his highest-scoring campaign of his career
Brahim Diaz made it three for Real Madrid as they raced towards a high-scoring victory, with Vinicius Jr adding the fourth
Osasuna did well to score twice but could not contain Los Blancos, even though Jude Bellingham wasn’t present due to his ban
It was four on 64 minutes and Vinicius had his second goal. This time Antonio Rudiger with the outside of his foot sprayed the ball forward. Valverde was the assist king again with a cushion pass to the Brazilian who scored from a tight angle.
Osasuna pulled back a late consolation when Iker Muñoz scored on 91 minutes. But Madrid were comfortable winners and Arda Guler almost made it five when he hit the crossbar in added time with a spectacular effort from the middle of the pitch.
