VAR Inaction Strikes Again as Osasuna Leave La Cerámica Empty-Handed (2-1)

A clear foul by Rafa Marín on Raúl went unpunished, hampering the efforts of Club Atlético Osasuna, who played over an hour a man down.

Osasuna (2-0-3, 6 points) fell 2-1 to Villarreal CF (3-1-1, 10 points) at Estadio de la Cerámica on Saturday afternoon. Despite being a man down after defender Valentín Rosier received a second yellow card in the 40th minute, Los Rojillos managed to take the lead at stoppage time in the first half thanks to forward Ante Budimir. Villarreal found their rhythm in the second half, but Osasuna fought valiantly, even as a penalty was not awarded for a tackle on forward Raúl García inside the box. Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Júnior made two crucial saves in the final minutes to secure the win.

Osasuna started the match brightly, creating solid chances to take an early lead. Defender Juan Cruz had the first opportunity following a free kick, and shortly after, forward Víctor Muñoz missed with a shot that went off target after receiving a great pass from Budimir. Midway through the first half, goalkeeper Sergio Herrera made an impressive double save to keep the match scoreless. Just five minutes before the break, Rosier was shown a second yellow card for a foul, leaving Osasuna with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Nevertheless, the team did not give up, and just before halftime, Budimir converted a penalty to put Osasuna ahead.

In the second half, Villarreal pressed for an equalizer, but Herrera delivered an outstanding performance with several key saves. In the 70th minute, forward Georges Mikautadze leveled the score with a header. The intensity of the match increased, with both sides creating opportunities. Ten minutes before the final whistle, García was taken down in the box by Marín, but neither the referee nor VAR awarded a penalty. Moments later, midfielder Pape Gueye redirected a shot from midfielder Nicolás Pepe into the back of the net.

In the closing minutes, Osasuna pushed forward in search of a well-deserved point. García had two close opportunities, but Júnior was equal to the task, preserving Villarreal's lead.

Osasuna will now prepare to face Elche CF on Thursday, Sept. 25, at El Sadar in Week 6 of La Liga EA Sports. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CET (6:30 p.m. BST/1:30 p.m. ET).