Real Madrid – Osasuna: Osasuna marks the beginning of Vinicius’ good fortune

19/08/2025 07:37:00 soccer

Not only Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, but Osasuna is also among Real Madrid’s most hated rivals in Spanish football.

Coach Xabi Alonso knows this rivalry well from his playing days, but he never experienced the kind of awful moments that Vinicius has faced every time he plays at El Sadar. This season, the Galacticos start off with a match against the Basque team at the Bernabeu.

A history of animosity

The Brazilian striker faces abuse at almost every La Liga stadium. He is subjected to racism and is often targeted simply because he is one of Real’s top players.

But nowhere is number 7 provoked as much as he is against Osasuna. Seven months ago at El Sadar, Jude Bellingham received a controversial red card, but what was more troubling was that Vinicius again had to endure crude insults from the stands, with some Osasuna fans chanting "Vinicius, die" throughout the match.

The incident occurred right after Kylian Mbappe scored the opening goal, as Vinicius was changing his shirt in front of Carlo Ancelotti. TV cameras from Movistar Plus+ captured the offensive chants, which were clearly audible despite efforts to fight hate in football.

The 25-year-old forward always answers in the best way—by scoring goals, and sometimes with gestures or attitude. Some say his provocative playing style, which is not unusual for a striker, and his frequent clashes with opposing defenders, have made him an even bigger target for fans.

Vinicius often argues and has been caught more than once responding to taunts from the crowd. Last year, there was progress in lawsuits against fans accused of insulting number 7, including four Atletico supporters accused of hanging a mannequin of him from a highway bridge in Madrid.

They were arrested in a wave of detentions after the incident at Mestalla, and prosecutors have requested four-year prison sentences. Ironically, children who accompanied Osasuna’s players wore shirts with anti-hate messages before the match began. On the pitch, the Basque players were just as aggressive toward Vinicius. Everyone near number 7 tried to foul him whenever possible, especially Pablo Maffeo, who always argued and clashed with Vinicius in every game.

Vinicius has a complicated “relationship” with Osasuna, both on the field and in the stands.

Osasuna defenders mock the Brazilian’s frequent complaints to referees by imitating crying gestures during matches. At the same time, Vinicius has also been seen taunting his opponents by shouting, "You’re terrible, go home." Maffeo even claimed he would knock out Vinicius within ten seconds before the Copa del Rey semifinal.

Vinicius’ preferred opponent

Despite all the hostility, Osasuna has always been Vinicius’ solution. The numbers speak for themselves, and the stats favor the Real striker. Number 7 has scored eight goals in twelve La Liga matches against the Basque side. Only Valencia, with nine goals, surpasses this figure.

But the “relationship” between Vinicius and Osasuna goes beyond statistics. Whenever the Brazilian needs to regain his scoring touch, the Basque club seems to appear like a rainstorm. The first time this happened was in 2019. Vinicius had not scored in seven months and was under a lot of pressure. There was a certain anxiety, but he managed to score a stunning goal against Osasuna.

Since then, everything has gone smoothly for the Brazilian, who now considers the Basque team one of his favorite opponents. Most recently, when Real suffered two straight defeats and needed to get back on track, Vinicius scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at the Bernabeu. That was his fourth career hat-trick and, so far, his last in a white shirt.

Tonight, number 7 wants to return to his best and hopes Osasuna will continue to be his lucky charm.

Nhat Minh

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