Real Madrid miss chance to replace Barcelona atop La Liga after draw with Osasuna

Benzema misses penalty on return to starting line-up as Garcia cancels out Vinicius' opener

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, right, reacts after missing a scoring chance during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. (AP Photo / Manu Fernandez)

Karim Benzema shoots from the penalty spot during the match between Real Madrid and Osasuna. AP

Osasuna defender David Garcia fouls Karim Benzema to concede a penalty. AFP

Osasuna Sergio Herrera makes a save ahead of Real Madrid defender Eder Militao. AFP

Vinicius Junior celebrates with teammates after scoring first goal for Real Madrid against Osasuna. Getty

Osasuna defender Ruben Pena attempts to tackle Vinicius Junior. AFP

Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez shows a red card to Osasuna's David Garcia. AP

Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz competes for a header as Sergio Herrera reaches to punch the ball. Getty

Osasuna's Nacho Vidal, left, challenges for the ball with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. AP

Kike Garcia scores the equalising goal Osauna against Real Madrid. Getty

Osasuna's Kike Garcia celebrates after scoring the equalising goal against Real Madrid. EPA

Ante Budimir, Unai Garcia and Moi Gomez Osasuna celebrates after the match. Getty

Real Madrid surrendered the chance to return to the top of La Liga on Sunday after Karim Benzema missed a penalty in the 1-1 home draw against Osasuna.

Perfect after their first six La Liga games, Madrid looked on track to extend their winning start to the season when Vinicius Junior broke the deadlock just before half-time with a cross that snuck all the way into the far corner.

However, Kike Garcia's well-taken header early in the second half earned in-form Osasuna a point at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid had their chances to retake the lead, most notably through the returning Benzema, who drew a stunning save from Sergio Herrera, although he was offside, then neatly slipped through Rodrygo, only for the Brazilian forward to fire over.

The French striker won a penalty when he was shoved over by David Garcia, who was sent off, but hit the crossbar with his effort. Moments later Benzema had the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside.

"What we were missing was scoring that penalty, normally Karim scores them," Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti told DAZN.

"He had no problem playing the 90 minutes. It's been a month since he's played, he has to get his best form back. He did his part, he had the chance from the penalty. It's an accident, sometimes it happens."

Benzema made his first appearance since September 6, while Andriy Lunin and Dani Ceballos started in place of injured duo Thibaut Courtois and Luka Modric.

Madrid probed promisingly down the flanks, while at the other end Abde Ezzalzouli, on loan at Osasuna from Barcelona, crashed a shot into the side netting on a bright display.

Madrid opened the scoring in fortuitous fashion, with Vinicius whipping in a low cross which caught out goalkeeper Sergio Herrera and crept in at the far post.

Osasuna complained that Benzema and Antonio Rudiger were offside and interfering with play, but their protests were dismissed.

The visitors were level five minutes into the second half, though, when Garcia brilliantly looped a backwards header over Lunin. The goal meant Madrid have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of the first seven league games.

"We were quite solid at the back," Ancelotti said. "We conceded a goal from a deep cross, it was quite strange. The team was balanced, the objective is always to be strong to avoid conceding."

The draw means Barcelona, who beat Mallorca on Saturday, lead Madrid on goal difference after seven games, with both teams on 19 points and unbeaten. It is the first time the Catalans lead the league at the end of a fixture round since June 2020.

Osasuna, meanwhile, occupy sixth place having won four of their first seven games.

"We have to celebrate, they had won all their games and we came back from a goal down, the team did great work and played a great game," said Osasuna manager Jagoba Arrasate.

"If Madrid's players weren't offside then the goalkeeper's position would have been different (for the opening goal)."