Real toughs it out to go top

Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga after a hard-fought 3-1 win at Osasuna on Saturday thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and substitute Lucas Vazquez.

Striker Sergio Leon canceled out Ronaldo's 24th-minute opener after Osasuna centerback Tano Bonnin was carried off with a double leg break while Real defender Danilo was forced off with an injury in the second half.

Isco restored Madrid's lead in the 62nd minute and Zinedine Zidane's side added a third through Vazquez with the last kick of the game.

Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas produced a string of quality saves to preserve its advantage before Vazquez sealed only a second league win for Real in seven visits to the perennial La Liga struggler, which is bottom of the standings on 10 points.

Real tops the table on 49 points, leap-frogging Barcelona on 48 after the champion thrashed Alaves 6-0 with the help of goals from its 'MSN' trident of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

The victory, however, was overshadowed by a season-ending ankle injury to fullback Aleix Vidal.

Zidane's side has two games in hand on Barca as it bids to win the title for the first time since 2012.

Real withstood early pressure from the host thanks to two smart saves from Navas and took the lead against the run of play when Ronaldo ran on to a threaded through-ball from Karim Benzema and blasted it through the legs of Salvatore Sirigu.

Osasuna made amends for its earlier misses when Leon beat the offside trap and classily lifted over Navas.

Real again had to lean on its goalkeeper at the start of the second half as Navas kept out Leon, but Zidane's side eventually made the gulf in class count.

Benzema raced into the area and, although he lost control of the ball, Isco pounced to roll home.

Osasuna continued to pepper Real's area but, as stoppage time was about to elapse, Vazquez finished coolly to make sure of the points.

"You didn't see the difference in the number of points the teams have out on the pitch, we knew that we'd have to suffer here and we did, but we came here to get the win, knowing we'd have to work for it," Zidane said.

At Alaves, Suarez turned in a cross from Vidal in the 37th minute to give Barca the lead over Alaves, which it will meet in the King's Cup final.

Neymar pounced on an error from goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco in the 40th minute before Messi fired a third in the 59th to complete a full house for the 'MSN' trio.

An Alexis Ruano own goal, a thumping Ivan Rakitic strike and a Suarez volley completed the rout.

Uruguayan Suarez was sent off at the end of Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid, which sealed Barca's place in the King's Cup final.

He is due to miss the final because of suspension, but at Alaves he bounced back from that setback by topping the league's scoring charts, on 18, one ahead of Messi.

"I leave here feeling good from a footballing perspective, for our performance and the result, but frustrated by Aleix's injury and what it means for him," Barca coach Luis Enrique said.

"Seeing one of your teammates suffer a serious injury is ugly for everyone."

Barca reeling from Vidal KO

Barcelona rightback Aleix Vidal will take no further part in the Spanish champion's quest for a treble this season after suffering a dislocated right ankle that will keep him out for five months.

Vidal was injured with just three minutes remaining in Barca's 6-0 rout at Alaves on Saturday when he came off the worst in a challenge with on-loan Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez.

"The player has been transferred to a hospital in Vitoria and a dislocation to the right ankle that required reconstructive surgery has been confirmed," a Barca statement said.

"The approximate downtime will be about five months."

Vidal had only recently fought his way back into Barca boss Luis Enrique's plans after being cast aside for large parts of the opening half of the campaign.

"I am upset by Aleix's injury, the way it came about and what it means for him," said Enrique.

"I hope it doesn't turn out to be as bad as it looks," added Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

"I was quite shocked. Hopefully he'll be back soon as he is a great guy and he was playing excellently."

AFP