Real Madrid vs Osasuna prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-10-01 19:00.
Real Madrid maintained their perfect start to the 2022/23 La Liga (LL) campaign by beating city rivals Atlético Madrid 2-1 to keep them two points ahead of fellow fast starters Barcelona prior to the international break (W6). Carlo Ancelotti’s side have negotiated a tricky period with Karim Benzema sidelined through injury, but he’s now back in training and ready to return as Real try to make it ten consecutive competitive wins this term.
As one key player returns, another will be absent as Luka Modrić picked up a hip injury on international duty, although he’s expected to return against Barcelona (Oct 16). Modrić will miss the delights of a new pitch at the Bernabéu, freshly installed after the one they started the season with was damaged during the hot summer, and Real will hope to christen the newly-laid hallowed turf with their 16th straight home H2H without defeat (W13, D2).
Osasuna drew 0-0 here last term and will have credible hopes of pulling off another good result considering they headed into the international break in fifth place in the league (W4, L2). The Little Reds are looking to rebound from an ill-tempered 2-0 defeat to Getafe last time out which was their third game in five in which their opponents were reduced to ten men – although on this occasion, so were Osasuna.
Discipline will be important then as they look to build on a flimsy record of one win in five league away matches (D2, L2), although as all of them featured under 2.5 goals, a tight affair may be in order. That’s especially true early on, as in none of those matches did Osasuna concede before the half-hour mark, a valuable commodity ahead of this clash knowing conceding early here could lead to a long afternoon for the visitors.
Key battle: VinĂcius JĂşnior has scored five times across Madrid’s last four home LL fixtures, three times after the break. Trying to put the shackles on him will be Osasuna defender David GarcĂa, their last player to score in a H2H here, who has also picked up four bookings in six LL appearances this term.
Hot stat: Four of Madrid’s last six competitive matches produced exactly two first-half goals.