CA Osasuna 1–2 Atlético Madrid: Late drama in Pamplona as Simeone's men snatch crucial three points

Atletico Madrid ground out a vital 2-1 victory over CA Osasuna at El Sadar on May 13, 2026, keeping their La Liga title aspirations alive with a gritty away performance. The visitors fell behind early but responded with resolve, securing the win with a second-half winner that silenced the Navarran crowd.

Match overview

With the La Liga title race entering its final stretch, every point carried immense weight for Diego Simeone's side. Facing a well-organised Osasuna team that had made El Sadar a fortress all season, Atlético needed both tactical discipline and individual brilliance to leave Pamplona with maximum points. The final scoreline of 2-1 reflected a contest that swung one way, then the other, before settling in the visitors' favour.

Key moments

• 8' – Osasuna strike early: A quick counter-attack caught Atlético off guard. Ante Budimir latched onto a through ball and slotted past Jan Oblak to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
• 28' – Atlético equalise: Antoine Griezmann curled a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner, restoring parity with a moment of pure quality.
• 67' – Winner from De Paul: Rodrigo De Paul collected a cut-back from Nahuel Molina and fired a low shot into the far corner, beyond the reach of Sergio Herrera.
• 81' – Osasuna denied by woodwork: Moi Gómez struck the crossbar with a fierce drive – the closest the hosts came to equalising.

Tactical story

Simeone set his side up in a compact 4-4-2, aiming to control the midfield and then exploit spaces left by Osasuna's wing‑backs. The early goal disrupted that plan, forcing Atlético to push higher and risk being caught on the break. After the equaliser, Atlético grew into the game, with Koke and De Paul taking charge of the centre. Osasuna, under Jagoba Arrasate, defended deep but lacked the final pass to punish Atlético's occasional lapses. The winning goal came from a well‑rehearsed move down the right, a hallmark of Simeone's big‑match coaching.

Standout players

• Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético Madrid): Tireless in midfield and decisive in front of goal. His winner crowned a performance full of energy and invention.
• Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid): The free‑kick equaliser was his 15th league goal of the season. His movement constantly troubled Osasuna's backline.
• Ante Budimir (CA Osasuna): Took his goal superbly and was a handful all evening, but lacked support after the interval.

Table and season impact

The win lifted Atlético Madrid to second place in La Liga, three points behind leaders Barcelona with five matches remaining. For Osasuna, the defeat ended a three‑match unbeaten run at home but left them comfortable in mid‑table, far from both European qualification and relegation danger. The result also extended Atlético's impressive record against Osasuna: they have now won four of their last five league meetings.

If Simeone's men can maintain this form, they will push the title race down to the wire. For Osasuna, the focus shifts to finishing as high as possible in a season that has already exceeded many expectations.