The good, the bad and the beautiful: A pass from the heavens

A round-up of some of La Liga’s most intriguing storylines across the week, traversing through the good, the bad and something beautiful.

The Good: Osasuna leave Real Madrid bright red

The statistic you might have seen doing the rounds before Real Madrid were beaten at El Sadar was that Osasuna did not have a home win over Los Blancos in the last 15 years. During that period, Osasuna have been to Europe, been to the brink of liquidation and to the Copa del Rey final – it was indeed Real Madrid in their way that day. Still, any La Liga analyst or fan will speak in reverential tones of the hallowed trip to Pamplona for either of the big guns, of the furnace of El Sadar.

And on Saturday, Osasuna gave us everything that tends to be attributed to that journey. A well-groomed, Real Madrid with an unattainable confidence arrived having won every Liga game in 2026, and were met with a bolshy, rebellious Osasuna. With the echoing, noisy Rojillo fanbase, under the lights, Real Madrid looked intimidated and they played to the rhythm of the El Sadar thunder – ironically it was their own academy product, Victor Munoz, who had Dani Carvajal feverishly sweating.

If the feeling was one of a trip to the madhouse, Real Madrid found themselves taken out of their game by a side that were cold and methodical, clear about how they would hurt them. When the ball was deep in Real Madrid’s half, they would force it long, knowing they would stop Los Blancos playing through them. If they had to drop deeper, Lucas Torro and Jon Moncayola overpowered Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe before they got at the defence. Depending on which side the ball was on, Aimar Oroz positioned himself between the full-back and Aurelien Tchoumeni, waiting to feed one of Munoz, Ruben Garcia or Ante Budimir in space.

In recent weeks, there was praise for Braulio Vazquez’s work over the last two transfer windows, stocking Alessio Lisci’s squad with incisive and varied weapons. This week, the celebration is for Lisci’s first statement victory. The Italian manager has changed from his original back three to a 4-2-3-1, showing flexibility, and against Real Madrid, an ability to give his players the tools to win.

A victory that will always live in Osasuna’s history

🫡 Sei un grande, mister!

🎥 @DAZN_ES#LetsGoRojillos pic.twitter.com/GPVn9qfVzX

— C. A. OSASUNA (@osasuna_en) February 21, 2026

The Bad: Getafe and Sevilla, result not important

This may get a little personal. At Football España, you will find a rare defence of Jose Bordalas’ staccato football, and an appreciation of his results to resources ratio. Yet Getafe’s 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on Sunday afternoon was the worst game we have witnessed live, and it’s hard to think of a contender that comes close. The insane thing is, Sevilla arguably contributed to the lack of spectacle more.

It was not until the 21st minute that Luis Vazquez dribbled the first shot into the arms of Odysseas Vlachodimos, and not until first-half stoppage time that Sevilla mustered their first effort. Despite Dakonam Djene getting sent off after 26 minutes, Los Nervionenses played as if it had not happened. When Matias Almeyda sent on two more attacking wingers at the break, Sevilla played more often in the Getafe half, but managed a total of one shot on target from 74% possession.

The only real piece of quality came from Akor Adams and Djibril Sow in the 64th minute, the former’s excellent lay-off allowing Sow to finish smoothly into the bottom corner. Outside of a five-minute spell between the 81st and 86th minute, there was genuinely no excitement, no quickening of the pace. That period was when Getafe went hunting for the equaliser, forcing the only real save out of Vlachodimos, but even with the vast spaces opening up against a ten-man defence, including two three-on-two situations, Sevilla refused to take advantage. One of those situations ended in a throw-in 30 yards away from goal for Getafe. Between the two, the expected goals figure was 0.6.

At the full-time whistle, there should have been a visceral celebration of three vital points for an under-pressure Sevilla. As if feigning interest in a colleague’s weekend plans, their players struggled to pull off the delight they were supposed to be feeling. Neither Almeyda nor Bordalas will be able to use this footage as an example of what they want going forward. Read this not as a criticism of either team in a wider sense, but of a singular game that warranted the removal of football from the entertainment industry.

The Beautiful: Tell him he’s Pablo Aimar and get him out there

Monday night football in La Liga tends to feel neglected by the rest of the world, but at times that perhaps increases the pleasure of witnessing it, knowing it is just you and the rest of the equally committed/corroded fans who are viewing it as a neutral. This Monday, Azzedine Ounahi was in prodigal son mode. Walking on water, the Moroccan glided around the pitch as if he were playing a pick-up game several divisions below his usual level.

The piece de resistance though, was a pass sent straight from the heavens, no need to take on human form. The freeze frame a second before Ounahi brushes the ball into Viktor Tsygankov’s path, when he decides to make the pass, the Ukrainian is barely in the frame. A second later, all seven Alaves players in it are out of the game.

🤹‍♀️ Quan s’ajunten dos mags…#GironaAlavés #laligahighlights pic.twitter.com/rQoJIlqCL7

— Girona FC (@GironaFC) February 24, 2026

Trisecting the Alaves defenders, it leaves Tsygankov with leverage to round Antonio Sivera with his second touch. Thankfully, he makes it into a highlight. It was a pass that made loved ones around the world enquire about the source of that involuntary noise. Girona are on the rise, but Ounahi in that form, showing that vision, has already risen.