Real back on top after crucial win at Osasuna

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Real back on top after crucial win at Osasuna
Football Soccer - Osasuna v Real Madrid - Spanish La Liga Santander - El Sadar stadium, Pamplona, Spain, 11/02/17 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the match. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga after winning a testing away clash against Osasuna 3-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, midfielder Isco and substitute Lucas Vazquez.

Osasuna striker Sergio Leon cancelled out Ronaldo’s 24th-minute opener in the 33rd after defender Tano had been carried off with a sickening double leg break.

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

Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas needed to produce a string of quality saves to preserve their advantage before Vazquez sealed only a second league win in seven visits to the perennial La Liga strugglers.

Real top the standings on 49 points, leapfrogging Barcelona on 48 after the champions thrashed Alaves 6-0 on Saturday.

Zidane’s side have two games in hand on their arch rivals as they bid to win the title for the first time since 2012.