Vinícius nets hat-trick in, 3 Real Madrid players injured

Madrid: Vinícius Júnior scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid a 4-0 win over Osasuna in a much-needed victory that was dampened when teammate Éder Militão left on a stretcher.

Madrid had heard jeers in its previous two home games - a 4-0 loss to fierce rival Barcelona and 3-1 defeat to AC Milan.

But the easy victory may have come at the high price. Militão was taken off after the central defender crumbled to the turf while screaming and clutching the back of his right knee shortly before halftime. Rodrygo and Lucas Vázquez also were unable to continue after apparently sustaining muscle injuries in the first half, the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported.

Vinícius, who felt overlooked when the Ballon d'Or went to Spain's Rodri last week, got his second hat-trick of the season and took his overall tally to 12 goals. Jude Bellingham's goal had made it 2-0.

Madrid is in second place in the Spanish league at six points behind leader Barcelona.

Rodrygo appeared to sustain a muscle injury early in the game. The forward, who missed the "clasico" due to another injury, wept as he walked gingerly to the bench, where a team medic put ice on his left leg.

Worse was to come for coach Carlo Ancelotti when Militão went down. He pulled his jersey over his face as he was carried off in a stretcher on the half-hour mark.

A numbed Santiago Bernabeu was brought alive by Vinícius when he cut back and curled in the opener in the 34th minute.

Madrid right back Dani Carvajal was already ruled out out for the season with a serious leg injury. Goalkeeper Courtois Thibaut, David Alaba and Aurélien Tchouaméni were also unavailable with their own injuries.

Ancelotti replaced Militão with youth team player Raúl Asencio, who made the most of his debut by delivering a long lobbed pass that Bellingham used one touch to chip over goalkeeper Sergio Herrera to double the lead in the 42nd.

Vinícius ran onto another long pass, this time by 'keeper Andriy Lunin, before rounding Herrera to make it 3-0 in the 61st. He got his third after substitute Brahim Díaz stole the ball from defender Flavien-Enzo Boyomo and laid off for his scoring partner in the 69th.

While Vinícius soared, strike partner Kylian Mbappé remained in the doldrums and failed to score following France not calling him up for a second straight international period.