Real lose ground in title race with Osasuna draw

Real Madrid wasted a chance to keep the pressure on the top two in La Liga with a 2-2 draw away to Osasuna where Sergio Ramos was sent off and record signing Gareth Bale substituted.

Carlo Ancelotti's side began confidently having won their last five league games, scoring 24 goals in the process, but were undone by two first half headers from Oriol Riera.

Sergio Ramos, returning from suspension and whose discipline has been questioned, was red carded after 43 minutes but Isco gave Real hope with a strike on the point of halftime.

Bale was taken off 10 minutes into the second half as they searched for an equaliser that eventually came from a Pepe header after Osasuna were also reduced to 10 men with Francisco Silva dismissed.

Bale, a 100 million euros ($137.30 million) signing, scored a hat-trick in his last league game against Valladolid but was unable to make an impact against Osasuna who also managed to earn a draw against Barcelona earlier in the season.

"The first 20 minutes were very good and it is incredible that we went 2-0 down and had ten men. We responded well but we suffered a lot," Ancelotti told a news conference.

"We were showing quality and rhythm and we lost control after the first goal but we did show character and the right attitude to battle back."

Later on Saturday, Barcelona can go three points clear at the top if they beat Villarreal with Atletico Madrid, level on 40 points playing on Sunday. Real are third with 38 points.

Real zipped the ball around with pace and confidence early on with Osasuna at full stretch to contain Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

So it was a shock when Osasuna took the lead with Riera left totally unmarked to head in Marc Bertran's cross.

The goal took the wind out of Real's sails and they again failed to mark properly when Damia Abella won a header which keeper Diego Lopez beat away, only for Riera to nod in the rebound.

It went from bad to worse as Ramos then received a second yellow card for a foul on Roberto Torres.

Isco pulled a goal back, finding the corner with a drive from the edge of the area.

Bale was replaced by Angel Di Maria after the restart and it was Osasuna who looked more like scoring again.

The match changed, however, when Silva was also dismissed following a foul on Ronaldo and Isco's free-kick was headed in by Pepe.