Defending league champion Real Madrid are trying to climb back into the title race, but they could face a test on Saturday when they visit Osasuna in a Spanish La Liga match. Los Blancos (15-3-3) are in second place past the season's midway point, but Barcelona have opened an eight-point gap at the top. Real Madrid pummeled last-place Elche 4-0 on Wednesday after suffering a loss and a draw in their previous three matches. Osasuna (8-6-7) are in ninth place, but they have been playing low-scoring matches against the league's top teams all season. They are especially tough on their Estadio El Sadar turf in Pamplona, Spain, and they held Real to a 1-1 draw at Bernabeu in the season's first meeting back in October.
Saturday's kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. Los Blancos are -145 favorites (risk $145 to win $100) in the latest Osasuna vs. Real Madrid odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Osasuna are listed as +400 underdogs, a draw is +270 and the over/under for total match goals is set at 2.5. Before locking in any Real Madrid vs. Osasuna picks, make sure you see the La Liga predictions and best bets from soccer insider Jon Eimer.
Eimer, widely known as "Buckets," is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more.
He is 40-24 (+17.06) on all soccer article predictions for SportsLine in 2023, bringing a profit of more than $1,700 for $100 bettors. He also is on a stunning run on his English competition picks, going 27-4 (+23.14) on Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup predictions. Anyone who follows him is way up.
Now, Eimer has broken down the Osasuna vs. Real Madrid matchup from all sides. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Real Madrid vs. Osasuna:
- Real Madrid vs. Osasuna spread: Real -0.5 (-145)
- Real Madrid vs. Osasuna over/under: 2.5 goals
- Real Madrid vs. Osasuna money line: Osasuna +400, Real -145, Draw +270
- OSA: Osasuna have allowed fewer than two goals in 16 of the 21 matches
- RMA: Real Madrid have scored at least twice in 14 of their league matches
- Real Madrid vs. Osasuna picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Real Madrid
Los Blancos dominated the last meeting, and Karim Benzema missed a penalty that would have given Los Blancos the lead in the 79th minute. They outshot Los Rojillos 22-8 and held the ball for 64% of the match. They are second in the league in possession at 59.5%, while Osasuna are at 48.2, so Real should be able to control the pace again. Benzema scored twice in Wednesday's match, which gives him 11 goals in 13 league matches. He has scored nine in his past 10 in all competitions. Vinicius Junior (seven league goals) also will present a challenge for the back line.
Real Madrid are 12-5-0 against Osasuna since 2011. Los Rojillos are one of the league's lowest-scoring teams, with just 19 goals in 21 matches. Now they will be missing top scorer Ezequiel Avila, who has seven goals in league play but is out on a booking suspension. Aimar Oroz (three goals) is injured, so only two available Osasuna players have scored more than once. Real are second in the league with 112 shots on target and have allowed 62 (third-fewest). Osasuna have put 73 on net, tied for fifth-fewest. Avila has 19 of those, and no other player has more than eight.
Why you should back Osasuna
Los Rojillos have struggled to find victories, but they have been a dangerous team and will be more rested. They will have three more days off, and Real have a Champions League matchup with Liverpool on Tuesday to worry about. Osasuna have conceded three goals over their past six matches. Real put just four of their 22 shots on target in the last meeting, and Osasuna have allowed 72 on net, sixth-fewest in La Liga. Six of Osasuna's eight victories have come on their home pitch, and they are the only team without a home draw. They are plus-3 in goal differential at El Sadar.
Los Rojillos are conceding less than a goal per game, with only four La Liga teams allowing fewer than their 19 in 21 matches. They could have trouble scoring, but Abde Ezzalzouli will be back from his suspension. The 21-year-old Barcelona loanee should join an attack that can include Kike Garcia and Kike Barja, with Ante Budimir likely to lead the way. Garcia and Barja have three goals and an assist between them, with a combined eight starts.
How to make Osasuna vs. Real Madrid picks
Eimer has broken down Saturday's Real Madrid vs. Osasuna match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has two other best bets and a full breakdown of this La Liga matchup. He's only sharing those picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Osasuna vs. Real Madrid? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Real Madrid vs. Osasuna match, all from the soccer expert up more than $1,700 on his soccer picks in 2023, and find out.
