Vinicius Junior showcased his prowess with a brace, extending Real Madrid's lead to a commanding 10 points at the summit of La Liga with a resounding 4-2 victory over Osasuna on Saturday. Meanwhile, Girona, their title aspirations dwindling, suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Getafe.
The Brazilian sensation mesmerized for Los Blancos, tallying his season's goal count to 18 across all competitions. Dani Carvajal and Brahim Diaz also got on the scoresheet, contributing to an exhilarating triumph under Carlo Ancelotti's stewardship.
Girona, currently in second place, faltered against Getafe, succumbing to Yellu Santiago's first-half strike, marking their fourth consecutive away loss, a streak that began with a crushing 4-0 defeat against Madrid.
Barcelona, trailing Madrid by 11 points, have an opportunity to leapfrog Girona as they face off against Atletico Madrid, positioned fourth, on Sunday.
Despite missing top scorer Jude Bellingham, serving a two-match suspension, Madrid scarcely felt his absence at El Sadar in Pamplona, with Vinicius in sensational form.
"I congratulated him, he had an extraordinary game, he made good decisions, he moved very well without the ball, that's where's he's improved the most," Ancelotti told reporters.
"With the ball he's always efficient and without it he's spectacular at the moment, he's so fast."
This week, Vinicius found himself in the headlines as Real Madrid filed a legal complaint against alleged racist insults from fans of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Despite off-field distractions, the Brazilian forward's performance on the pitch continued to impress.
In the match, the 23-year-old intercepted a pass from Alejandro Catena, sprinted past defenders, and calmly slotted the ball past Sergio Herrera to open the scoring within four minutes. However, Osasuna quickly equalized through Ante Budimir's close-range finish from a corner.
Vinicius had an opportunity to regain Madrid's lead shortly after, but Herrera denied him with a solid save. Nevertheless, Madrid's captain, Carvajal, restored their advantage with a superb finish in the 18th minute, set up by Fede Valverde's clever assist.
Just before halftime, Vinicius received a yellow card for dissent, his fifth in La Liga this season, resulting in his suspension for the next match against Athletic Bilbao.
Brahim Diaz extended Madrid's lead with a clinical finish after an hour, following Valverde's flick-on from a long ball. Vinicius then completed his brace with a subtle finish, courtesy of Valverde's assist, marking his 12th league goal of the season.
Despite his impressive performance, Vinicius faced criticism from the home fans as he was substituted late in the game. Nonetheless, coach Ancelotti showed his appreciation for Vinicius's contribution with a hug.
In stoppage time, Iker Munoz pulled one back for Osasuna, but Madrid held on for the win. Meanwhile, Getafe managed to defeat Girona, despite missing their top scorer, Borja Mayoral. Girona's Artem Dovbyk missed crucial chances, leading to Michel substituting playmaker Aleix Garcia early in the second half.
Getafe's solid defense frustrated Girona's attacks, and although they had a chance to seal the game, Paulo Gazzaniga denied Jaime Mata's effort, ensuring Getafe's victory.
"I have no words to describe this defeat," said Girona winger Savinho. "We came for three points that were very important and we weren't able to do it."
