FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid Training - Ciudad Real Madrid, Valdebebas, Madrid, Spain - October 25, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti during training REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo
(Reuters) - Real Madrid will be eager to get their all-star attack firing on all cylinders again when they meet Osasuna in LaLiga on Saturday, as they look to avoid losing even more ground to leaders Barcelona so early in the season.
Real are second in the standings with 24 points from 11 games, nine points behind Barcelona, who have played one more match than the defending champions.
Carlo Ancelotti's side were beaten 4-0 by Barcelona in the league before a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League, losing consecutive home games after conceding at least three goals for the first time since May 2009.
However, for a team with a reputation as one of the most attacking sides in the world, the real concern was a lack of coordination up front, with Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham looking toothless and seemingly operating on different wavelengths.
Mbappe, signed from Paris St Germain earlier this year, has been playing a more central role at Madrid than he was accustomed to at the Ligue 1 side and has scored just once in his last six games in all competitions.
England international Bellingham, who was a key player in Real's Champions League and LaLiga double last season, has also struggled after being moved to a less attacking role and has not yet scored this season.
After the defeat to Milan, Real manager Ancelotti said a home win over Osasuna could help his side get back on track, telling reporters: "There are difficult periods every year, when you have to fight, dig in and think about things.
"What is unusual, is that this team has been on a fantastic run and it's dropped off very quickly in recent games.
"That's part and parcel of football, but the good thing is you have chance to react quickly, and we have another home game so we can get back to being the team we were last year."
Beating Osasuna will be no easy feat, however, with the fifth-placed side being one of only two teams this season to have beaten Barcelona.
Victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in Saturday's early kickoff would see Real cut the gap to Barcelona to six points, at least until Sunday, when the leaders travel to Real Sociedad.
Barcelona, who lead the scoring charts in the Spanish top-flight with 40 goals, will be eyeing another chance to boost their goal difference against a Sociedad side who are winless in their last three home matches in all competitions.
The Catalan outfit have scored three or more goals in their last seven matches, with Hansi Flick's side finding the back of the net 55 times across all competitions - their highest-ever tally after 16 matches.
At the heart of their free-scoring form is 36-year-old striker Robert Lewandowski, who netted twice against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday to take his tally for the season up to 19 goals.
Third-placed Atletico Madrid, fresh off a memorable away victory over French heavyweights PSG in the Champions League, will be looking for a fourth straight win in all competitions when they travel to Mallorca on Sunday.
Bottom side Valencia's match with Espanyol has been postponed after deadly floods in eastern Spain which led to the deaths of more than 200 people.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
