** Real Madrid defeated Osasuna 5-2 in La Liga clash at the Bernabeu
*** Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring after being set up by Gareth Bale
** Danilo and Sergio Ramos effectively killed game before the interval
** Another defender, Pepe, headed home Toni Kroos' corner in second half
** Luka Modric got on the scoresheet before visitors pulled a goal back through Oriol Riera who then missed a penalty
** David Garcia netted for the visitors before Tano Bonnin was sent off
Cristiano Ronaldo had a busy summer. From unleashing a new version of his underwear on the world to ‘managing’ Portugal from the sidelines as they won Euro 2016, via unveiling his own fragrance and opening his own hotel.
But after sitting out the start of his season as he recovered from the knee injury sustained against France in the final, he was finally let loose, to do what he does best. And it took just six minutes for him to open the scoring against minnows Osasuna.
A host of different scorers followed suit, with Danilo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Luka Modric all finding the net, while Oriol Riera pulled one back for Osasuna and Kiko Casilla saved a Roberto Torres penalty, before David Garcia grabbed another and Cayetano Bonnin was sent off.
For large periods Real Madrid were unstoppable as they battered the visitors from northern Spain black and blue, racking up their 15th consecutive win in LaLiga, equalling Miguel Munoz’s long-standing club record from 1960-61.
Zidane decided to rest Marcelo, James Rodriguez and Casemiro at the start of a run where they games come thick and fast, but it didn’t matter. This match’s path was marked from the start.
Gareth Bale zipped away from the Osasuna defence, seemingly beating the offside trap—although replays showed he strayed fractionally past the defence, missed by the linesman—and laid it back for Ronaldo to fire home. They embraced.
If there is any animosity from Ronaldo and the other players towards Bale because of his high contract demands, as reported in Catalonia, it was nowhere to be seen here.
And while Bale is providing service like this for Ronaldo, the sun will shine in Madrid’s sky. That was the biggest threat to Zinedine Zidane’s team, with baking heat at the Santiago Bernabeu leaving officials checking the temperature before kick-off. However, the mercury stayed a couple of degrees below the 36 degree limit league president Javier Tebas hinted would result in a postponement.
Madrid had a chance to make it two when Ronaldo fired in a vicious cross which took a nick off a defender and evaded Alvaro Morata, with goalkeeper Nauzet Perez scrambling the ball away, but only as far as Toni Kroos. The German was’t as composed as usual and fired it into the side-netting, when he should have hit the target or sent it back to Morata.
Bale sent a free-kick into the sky but came closer with his next effort, a low drive which stung Nauzet’s palms as he sent it behind, with Ramos nodding the resulting corner inches wide of the far post.
Osasuna were limp in attack but they didn’t lack willing, retaining plenty of the ball in the first half, while Madrid were content to sit back and try to launch cutting counters, with Ronaldo and Bale slicing through their opponents like hot knives through Pamplona butter.
A crucial moment arrived shortly before half-time. Unai Garcia crashed a header off of Kiko Casilla’s crossbar in Real Madrid’s box, before Los Blancos broke away with devastating effect, Danilo smashing home a deflected strike after Nauzet rushed out to punch the ball to the edge of the box.
Bale nearly grabbed Madrid’s third immediately afterwards but the goalkeeper was able to beat him to the ball and clear, as Madrid started to run riot. Ramos nodded home Kroos’ corner with the last kick of the first half to send his team in with an unassailable lead.
Ramos’ header means he has scored in each of the last 13 La Liga seasons, equalling the all-time record of former Athletic Bilbao star Aitor Larrazabal.
Mateo Kovacic nearly made it four at the start of the second period but was denied by Nauzet, with the goalkeeper’s defence all at sea, the ball bouncing around as if the penalty area were a pinball machine.
Madrid were playing with a swagger, Modric making time stand still as he sharply turned away from two players, leaving them dumfounded.
Osasuna players were also left dumfounded by some awful goalkeeping from Nauzet, failing to prevent Pepe’s header from finding the net even though it was directed straight at the goalkeeper.
Modric whipped home an excellent fifth from outside the area, before substitute Oriol Riera pulled one back with a firm header from Miguel Anguel de las Cuevas’ cross.
Ramos’ header means he has scored in each of the last 13 La Liga seasons, equalling the all-time record of former Athletic Bilbao star Aitor Larrazabal.
Mateo Kovacic nearly made it four at the start of the second period but was denied by Nauzet, with the goalkeeper’s defence all at sea, the ball bouncing around as if the penalty area were a pinball machine.
Madrid were playing with a swagger, Modric making time stand still as he sharply turned away from two players, leaving them dumfounded.
Osasuna players were also left dumfounded by some awful goalkeeping from Nauzet, failing to prevent Pepe’s header from finding the net even though it was directed straight at the goalkeeper.
Modric whipped home an excellent fifth from outside the area, before substitute Oriol Riera pulled one back with a firm header from Miguel Anguel de las Cuevas’ cross.
