Berlin (DPA / Stats Perform)
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to target Karim Benzema for missing the opportunity to score from a penalty kick, in the match that ended in a 1-1 draw with Osasuna host in the seventh leg of the Spanish league .
Real Madrid have lost two points for the first time this season, winning all of their last six league games.
Despite Benzema’s return after a three-week absence due to injury, Real Madrid did not appear to their usual level in yesterday’s game.
Real advanced with a goal scored by Vinicius Junior in the 42nd minute, but Osasuna equalized with Enrique Garcia Kiki in the 50th minute and Karim Benzema had the opportunity to decide the match for Real Madrid and take the seventh consecutive victory, when the team received a penalty kick with David Garcia sent off from Osasuna’s ranks. Benzema takes the penalty in the 78th minute, but hits a ball that hits the crossbar.
Despite the shortage of numbers, Osasuna kept the draw until the end of the match to collect a precious point at the Real Madrid stadium.
Benzema missed three penalties this year against Osasuna, coached by Jagoba Araste, as he missed two penalties in the two teams’ match on 20 April in the 33rd stage of last season’s championship. Ancelotti refused to blame Benzema for the draw, and confirmed that Real’s performance was not bad, and said in statements to the “Dazon” platform: “Karim usually scores”.
“The match was not great, but after the goal received the team played as requested,” added Ancelotti.
“Karim has no problem starting the game for the full 90 minutes,” he said. He should get back to his best level playing. “He continued:” This is a football accident, sometimes it can happen. We were solid in defense, we balanced well and blocked the counterattack a lot. “Since the start of last season, Osasuna he drew three times with Real Madrid, beating all other teams in the Spanish league.
Real Madrid raised the score to 19 points in second place, with a goal difference only behind their historic rivals Barcelona, who beat Real Mallorca 1-0 in the same stage yesterday, Saturday.
–