Denis Doyle/Getty ImagesKarim Benzema, right, reacts after failing to score on the only Real Madrid shot that was on target

No Cristiano Ronaldo, no spark. That was the outcome of one of Real Madrid's most lacklustre performances of the season Saturday night in Pamplona as La Liga basement dwellers Osasuna held the champions to a 0-0 stalemate.

Los Blancos' Portuguese talisman stayed in Madrid to serve a one-match ban (for collecting his fifth yellow card of the season in the 4-3 win over Real Sociedad) as his teammates could only muster a point against a side bottom of the division and without a win in their last six matches - drawing one, losing five - going into the match at the Estadio Reyno de Navarra.

And Ronaldo's absence was painfully evident for the Madridistas. who watched on to see their side produce arguably their most disappointing performance of the season. Jose Mourinho's men were sluggish in attack, struggled to carve out clear-cut chances in front of goal, and when chances were created could not provide the clinical touch needed in front of goal. Jose Callejon can be perhaps rightfully unhappy his strike was disallowed for a controversial offside, but had it been allowed to stand it would have acted only to paper over the cracks in Madrid's poor performance.

First things first - Madrid are not a one-man team. Players such as Gonzalo Higuain, Angel di Maria, Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso can rank among the best players in the world on their day. The trouble is, for whatever reason, their form has been nowhere near top-class this season. The starting eleven Mourinho fielded in Pamplona, despite being hit by injury and suspension, should have been capable of seeing off a side bottom of the table, but Madrid's well-publicised problems this season continue to haunt them, despite encouraging back-to-back wins to start 2013.

Ronaldo was key in those wins. A brace against Real Sociedad to kick off the year and a hat trick in Madrid's 4-0 Copa del Rey success over Celta Vigo in midweek. When Madrid have needed to be rescued this season, the former Manchester United man has come to their rescue. He's pulled his side through closely-fought matches either through his goals or through the extra spark and creativity he provides in attack. Not in Pamplona.

Madrid only managed nine shots in anger, only one on goal, compared to Osasuna's 13 strikes, two of which were on target. Higuain was always going to find the going tough on his return from injury; he'll need games to get back to full throttle. Callejon has done a job when he's been called upon, but the lack of consistency in his call-ups has not allowed him to build a momentum in the starting eleven. Di Maria has been well below-par so far this season, one of Madrid's biggest disappointments, while Modric is still adapting to Spanish football. Ronaldo was not there to pull his teammates through.

For those interested in the stats, in La Liga, Super Cup and Champions League matches this season Madrid have won 11, drawn two and lost two when Ronaldo has scored in this term. When he doesn't score, they have won three, drawn three and lost four. Make of that what you will.

A worringly lacklustre attack aside, Madrid also has a growing concern on the disciplinary front, too. Three red cards now in as many matches. Antonio Adan against Sociedad, Sergio Ramos - on his return from another suspension - sent-off against Celta and now Kaka, lasting just 18 minutes after being introduced as a substitute, seeing red Saturday for two bookable offences. Not that losing the Brazilian a few matches will matter much to Mourinho, who has used him sparingly to say the least this season.

If any positive is to be taken from the match it is that Madrid managed to keep a clean sheet away from home for the first time in eight matches in all competitions. Even Alcoyano scored against Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey in October. The last time Jose's men managed to avoid conceding on their travels came in the 5-0 demolition of Mallorca October 28.

A tick in the box of Iker Casilla, then, who did not have to do a whole lot, but what he did have to do he did well. A clean sheet and a headache for Mourinho when Adan becomes available for the Cup clash with Valencia next week.

Another positive? That Ronaldo got a break before Valencia. Madrid have given up on retaining La Liga, but they can still add silverware to their cabinet in the form of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. A fully-fit and refreshed Ronaldo is exactly what Mourinho and Madrid needs ahead of the visit of Valencia to the Bernabeu.

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