Osasuna's 90th-Minute Jolt Hits Real Madrid's Title Dream
22 February 2026
Late drama at El Sadar
Real Madrid fell 2-1 at Osasuna in the La Liga 25th round, the third defeat of the Álvaro Arbeloa era.
Osasuna produced a dramatic winner in the 90th minute through Raúl García, deepening Madrid's sorrows at the top of the table.
Impact on the title race
The result adds to Osasuna's good run against the leader at home, with seven points from the last three league meetings against the leading side.
The same analysis notes this feat hasn't been achieved by Osasuna since April 14, 2002, when they beat the Royal 3-1 at the same ground.
That historic day featured Fernando (32'), Alfredo (39'), and Iván Rosado (74') for Osasuna, while Real Madrid scored once, in a season that also saw a battle for the crown.
The win opens a path for Barcelona (58 points) to reclaim first place from Real Madrid (60), should Barça win at Levante on Sunday at Camp Nou.
Madrid had grabbed the lead in the previous round after Barça's 2-1 loss to Girona, in a match surrounded by refereeing controversy over the winner.
Osasuna sit ninth in La Liga with 33 points.
Punchline 1: If the title chase were a sniper match, Osasuna just hit Madrid in the confidence with a perfect 90th-minute shot.
Punchline 2: Arbeloa might need a bigger clipboard—the plan to stay top keeps slipping away, but at least the jokes stay intact.
