Atletico Madrid Overwhelms Osasuna 4-0 to Keep Title Hopes Alive
Atletico did not just win. They overwhelmed. Osasuna were taken apart 4-0 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano as Diego Simeone’s side sent an early, sharp message in the Liga title race.
The stadium felt it coming long before the scoreline reflected it. Atletico snapped into tackles, hunted in packs, and moved the ball with a purpose that left the visitors clinging on. The home crowd roared them forward; Osasuna never found a way to turn the volume down.
David sets the tone – and makes history
The breakthrough arrived on 24 minutes and it came from the man who is already rewriting the club’s modern record books. David struck first, finishing clinically to give Atletico the lead and release the tension that had been building with every attack.
That goal did more than open the scoring. It carved his name into the club’s 21st-century history. With that first-half strike, David became the first Atletico player this century to score in each of his first two La Liga appearances for Los Rojiblancos. Two games, two goals, and an instant sense that Simeone has a new reference point in attack.
He was not finished. After the break, David shifted from finisher to creator, threading a sharp, incisive pass into the path of Lee Kang-in. One touch, one calm finish, and Atletico were 2-0 up nine minutes into the second half. The move summed up their night: aggressive pressing, quick transition, and ice-cold composure in front of goal.
Le Normand and Baena pile on the damage
Once the second went in, the contest felt close to done. Osasuna’s shape sagged, their resistance broken. Atletico smelled blood.
Robin Le Normand stepped up next, adding the third in the 63rd minute to turn a commanding performance into a rout. Any lingering doubt disappeared. The only question was how brutal the final score would be.
Alex Baena answered that in the 82nd minute, capping the night with Atletico’s fourth. By then, the home fans were enjoying every pass, every tackle, every attack. Osasuna, stuck on seven points from their opening six matches and marooned in 13th place, could only wait for the whistle.
Star man shines in a rotated attack
All of this came without Julian Alvarez. The Argentine forward did not even make the matchday squad as he continues to recover from a muscle problem that has frustrated both player and coach.
Simeone had already flagged Alvarez’s fitness issues in his pre-match press conference, prompting questions about whether Atletico had enough firepower to cope. The squad answered emphatically. David led the charge, Lee Kang-in backed him up, and the supporting cast stepped in without hesitation.
The performance underlined the depth Simeone now has at his disposal. No Alvarez, no problem – at least for one night.
Derby storm on the horizon
The table tells its own story. Atletico move to 13 points from six games, sitting third and just two points behind Real Madrid and leaders Barcelona. The gap is small. The stakes are about to get huge.
Next up at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano: the Madrid Derby. Real Madrid, the fierce neighbours, the eternal benchmark. A win would not just be symbolic; it would allow Los Rojiblancos to leapfrog their rivals and drive themselves deeper into the title conversation before autumn has truly settled in.
Simeone will know this 4-0 win changes the mood but not the demands. Beat Madrid, and this feels like the start of something serious. Fall short, and the questions return.
Osasuna left searching for answers
For Osasuna, the trip to the capital ends in bruises and doubts. A 4-0 defeat, a defensive collapse, and a long journey home to digest what went wrong.
They will try to reset on home soil, where Rayo Vallecano await in their next fixture. The response will say plenty about their season’s ceiling. Atletico have already made their statement. Now comes the derby that will reveal how loud it really was.
