Atletico Madrid Crush Osasuna 4-0 as Alvarez Sidelined Again; Madrid Derby Looms

**Match Report: Atletico Madrid 4-0 Osasuna** Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion on Wednesday evening, dispatching Osasuna 4-0 at the Metropolitano stadium [2]. The goals came from Jonathan David, Lee Kang-in, Nahuel Molina, and Alex Baleba, as the home side delivered a clinical attacking performance [2]. The victory extended Atletico's winning streak in La Liga to two matches, following their 3-0 triumph over Real Sociedad last weekend, with the team scoring seven goals across those two fixtures [2]. **The Julian Alvarez Paradox** The result has brought renewed attention to the curious case of Julian Alvarez, who continues to recover from muscle fatigue and was absent for the second consecutive match [2]. According to detailed statistics, the Argentine striker has now featured in three matches across all competitions this season without tasting victory—recording one draw and two defeats [2]. In stark contrast, Atletico have won all four La Liga matches in which Alvarez has not participated, scoring 12 goals while conceding just one [2]. The 26-year-old did start and play the full 90 minutes in Atletico's Champions League defeat to Liverpool, providing one assist in that 1-2 loss [2]. **League Standings and Title Race** With Wednesday's win, Atletico Madrid have accumulated four victories, one draw, and one defeat from their opening six La Liga matches, earning 13 points to sit third in the table [2]. They trail league leaders Barcelona by five points and second-placed Real Madrid by two points [2]. Meanwhile, Barcelona continued their relentless form with a 7-2 demolition of Santander, maintaining a perfect six wins from six games with an astonishing 28 goals scored [1]. **Preview: Madrid Derby on Sunday** The focus now shifts to Sunday's highly anticipated Madrid derby at the Metropolitano stadium, where Atletico will host Real Madrid in what promises to be a thrilling encounter [1]. Both teams enter the match in good form following midweek victories. Real Madrid claimed a 3-2 win over Elche, with Kylian Mbappe contributing one goal and one assist to extend his remarkable league tally to seven goals and two assists from six appearances [1]. Jude Bellingham is expected to return to the starting lineup after being used as a substitute against Elche [1]. Atletico coach Diego Simeone appears to have one eye on the derby, having rested key midfielder Morten Hjulmand and forward Kianzee Simpson, who only came on as substitutes against Osasuna [1]. The Colombian strategist will be without the injured Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth for the crucial encounter [1]. New signing Jonathan David, who scored and assisted against Osasuna, looks set to lead the line alongside Lee Kang-in, who also found the net [1]. The historical data suggests we should expect a high-scoring affair, with last season's two La Liga meetings between the sides ending in opposite results, each match producing at least five total goals [1]. Real Madrid's defense has shown vulnerability this season, with defender Ibrahim Konate struggling for consistency alongside Antonio Rudiger or Dean Huijsen [1].