October 19, 2025

Atletico Madrid held on to a slim 1-0 victory against Osasuna at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Saturday. The match was a nail-biter but Atletico stayed unbeaten thanks to a super disciplined display. The hero was Thiago Almada, who scored the only goal in the 69th minute. This goal came after Atletico kept pressing hard, bossing the ball for most of the match, and finally breaking through Osasuna’s tough defense. The Argentine midfielder’s finish was like a lightbulb moment, stopping the goalless struggle. Atletico controlled 65.1% of the possession, showing they were the masters of the field, while Osasuna managed only 34.4%. Despite this, chances were limited, and converting them was no easy feat. Atletico fired 17 shots with nine on target, while Osasuna barely tested the hosts. Osasuna’s goalkeeper Sergio Herrera was a wall, making eight top saves to keep hope alive. But Atletico’s own goalie, Jan Oblak, was just as crucial, keeping a clean sheet with some key saves. Oblak has now kept nine clean sheets in 13 games against Osasuna — quite a fortress record! Atletico had to shuffle their defense without Clément Lenglet and Robin Le Normand, but coach Diego Simeone’s team still looked solid with their 3-4-1 formation. Osasuna missed Aimar Oroz, limiting their midfield creativity. This made it hard for them to push forward. Atletico’s home form is sizzling hot, winning eight of their last nine at Riyadh Air Metropolitano. They have been like a fortress, dropping only one point so far in La Liga this season. Osasuna, on the other hand, are struggling on the road, failing to earn any points in their four away games. The match had a clean atmosphere with just one yellow card each. Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea kept everything fair and square. Interestingly, none of the last 19 matches between these two teams ended in a draw, and Atletico kept that streak alive. With this win, Atletico Madrid sits fifth in La Liga with 13 points and aims to climb into the top four for Champions League spots. Although their 13 points after eight games mark their worst start since 2011/12, the team is building good momentum under Simeone. Osasuna stay 12th with 10 points but will have to fix their away woes fast. This game was an exciting showcase of Atletico’s fighting spirit mixed with tactical discipline, topped off by the nibble that is Thiago Almada’s goal. Can they keep this streak going? Time will tell, but one thing's clear — Atletico is still a force to reckon with in La Liga!

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Tags: Atletico madrid, Osasuna, La liga, Thiago almada, Jan oblak, Diego simeone,