Real Madrid welcome CA Osasuna to Santiago Bernabeu this Sunday with Carlo Ancelotti’s men two points clear of Barcelona at the summit of La Liga but the visitors just six points behind after an unexpectedly strong start to the season. Karim Benzema has just collected his first ever Pichichi trophy after his 27-goal campaign and the French superstar will be aiming to keep Los Blancos flying high before heading into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with France this winter in good form and potentially as a Ballon d’Or winner.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match & more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 2 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu — Madrid
- TV/Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Real -333; Draw +450; Osasuna +800 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Real: With a 100% winning record across all competitions so far this term, the defending UEFA Champions League titleholders are in ominous form. The two toughest tasks so far this season have been Real Betis and Atletico Madrid — both 2-1 wins for Ancelotti’s men. Benzema’s form has also been key with three goals and one assist from four appearances so his return to fitness cannot come soon enough.
“I feel very proud of my work,” said the Frenchman upon picking up his recent Pichichi award. “I think this year is going to be a difficult year. I always want to do more. It is a very important trophy for me, thanks to my teammates. Without them I would not be here today. Thanks to the fans, the club, and the president. Every year is different, every year our rivals want to win La Liga and we will see what happens this year, but we are strong.”
Osasuna: With four wins from their opening six games, Jagoba Arrasate’s men are in unexpectedly good form despite losses to Getafe and Betis. With Valencia and Villarreal to come after this, it is a tough run for Osasuna and any points on the road would be a bonus. Ezequiel Avila has three goals from six outings so far and is the man to keep an eye on here.
Prediction
Pick: A comprehensive Real win here, I think. A 3-0 final score sounds about right, although 3-1 might also be close to the money. Ancelotti’s men are menacing even with Benzema sidelined so expect them to steamroll Osasuna ahead of their return to Champions League action.
