Team News & Analysis
There is bad news for Madridistas as Cristiano Ronaldo will be missing in attack. The Portuguese superstar, who has netted 174 goals in 172 matches for Real Madrid since 2009, has to serve suspension after amassing his fifth yellow card on Matchday 18. Gonzalo Higuain will be tasked to replace Ronaldo. The former has not started a single match for his side since November.
Jose Mourinho has to reshuffle his plans with Sergio Ramos adding his names to the list of unavailable players. The Spanish defender has been hit with a five-match ban for inappropriate behaviour during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey encounter at home to Celta de Vigo on Wednesday.
Also excluded from Los Blancos’ defensive set up is the Portuguese duo composed of Pepe and Fabio Coentrao. The pair is injured. Iker Casillas will return in post after second-choice keeper Adan collected a red card against Real Sociedad last weekend.
Osasuna will be looking to stun the Spanish giants. However, they will need to revive their spirit of underdogs. The hosts are in a terrible condition with 10 defeats in 18 matches. They are on a miserable run of three consecutive losses.
They occupy the very bottom of the Spanish Primera Division table. They will welcome Alejandro Arribas back from suspension but Roberto Torres and Raoul Loe will be absent. These two players are the latest addition to Osasuna’s injury list.
Meanwhile, Anthony Annan will not be able to boost his team’s midfield. The Ghanaian international is away for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Facts
• Real Madrid are fresh from a 5-2 victory over Celta de Vigo in the Spanish Copa del Rey.
• Osasuna suffered a cup exit after failing to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Valencia
• In the Spanish Copa del Rey, Real Madrid will face the team which disqualified Osasuna: Valencia.
• Osasuna have earned only a point from a possible 12.
• Real Madrid have scored four goals in each of their last two fixtures in all competitions. Five of these eight goals have come from Cristiano Ronaldo who is suspended for Saturday’s fixture away to Osasuna.
• Real Madrid have encountered four away defeats this season. This is as many defeats as Osasuna have suffered on home soil.
• The last time Osasuna hosted Real Madrid in the month of January was three years ago. The home side triumphed 1-0.
Head-to-head – Last five meetings
May 2, 2010: Real Madrid 3-2 Osasuna
September 11, 2010: Real Madrid 1-0 Osasuna
January 30, 2011: Osasuna 1-0 Real Madrid
November 6, 2011: Real Madrid 7-1 Osasuna
March 31, 2012: Osasuna 1-5 Real Madrid
Prediction
Iker Casillas is fired up to defend his honour and prove to Jose Mourinho that he deserves to be the undisputed choice. The goalkeeper is poised to keep a clean sheet while Real Madrid’s frontline may find it hard to fire bullets in the absence of club top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. One thing to note is that the La Liga champions are determined to win as much as their relegation-threatened opponents. The match could be a very tight affair with so many absentees.
Result: Osasuna 1-2 Real Madrid
