Real, Atletico warm up for Madrid derby with wins

Real's Rodrygo celebrates scoring against Osasuna on Wednesday

Madrid: Real Madrid's crisis has been averted for the time being at least after they beat Osasuna 2-0 on Wednesday without Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale to return to the top of La Liga. Hazard and Bale were among a number of players rested by coach Zinedine Zidane, with Real facing seven games in 21 days, the next of them against city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Vinicius Junior, who has endured a difficult few months, filled the void, bending a shot into the top corner before crying tears of what presumably were a mixture of joy and relief.

Rodrygo, 18, who was bought from Santos in 2018 but joined last summer, added a superb second goal, and his first for the club, just one minute after coming off the bench. Earlier, Atletico's Alvaro Morata made a swift impact too, but with less positive results after he was sent off eight minutes after being introduced as a substitute against Real Mallorca.

Atletico were already 2-0 up thanks to goals from Diego Costa and Joao Felix but Morata will now be suspended for the derby at the Wanda Metropolitano.

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