Osasuna vs Barcelona: Leveling the Fortress
Time & Venue
- September 28, 2024, at 19:00 GTM)
- Venue: El Sadar Stadium, Navarre, Spain
Form
Osasuna has won 3, drawn 2, and lost 2 of their 7 matches in the league this season, earning 11 points, which places them seventh in the standings, just one point behind fourth-place Atletico Madrid. Currently coached by Vicente Moreno, Los Rojillos have collected 4 points from their last two matches, beating Las Palmas at home last weekend and drawing 0-0 with Valencia recently.
Osasuna has performed very well at home this season, collecting 10 out of a possible 12 points and winning all three recent home games against Mallorca, Celta Vigo, and Las Palmas. However, they haven’t beaten Barcelona in La Liga since July 2020, losing the last five league matches against the Catalans, including a 1-2 home defeat last season.
Barcelona has had an impressive start to the season, especially considering their injury problems, and another victory on Sunday would see them equal their best-ever start to a La Liga season. The Catalan giants won their first eight games of the 2013/2014 season, meaning they are just two wins away from matching that record, a significant milestone for new head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona suffered a 1-2 defeat to Monaco in their Champions League opener but rebounded impressively, defeating Villarreal 5-1 last weekend.
Robert Lewandowski then scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Getafe, securing Barca’s 21 points from 7 games. They sit atop the table, 4 points ahead of second-place Real Madrid, who will face Atletico Madrid this weekend.
Although there’s still a long way to go this season, Barcelona has a chance to extend their lead to 7 points over the reigning champions when they meet next month, which would be a substantial gap.
Team News
Osasuna
Osasuna will be without Iker Munoz, while Kike Barja is training with the squad, awaiting medical clearance. Vicente Moreno is also monitoring Moncayola, who was substituted in the match at Mestalla.
As for the starting lineup, Osasuna is expected to bring back players who were rested in the previous game, such as Catena, Ruben Garcia, Bryan Zaragoza, and Budimir. However, it remains uncertain whether Moreno will rest other key players like Moncayola, Boyomo, Bretones, or Aimar Oroz.
Barcelona
Barcelona will be without Ter Stegen, Araujo, Gavi, Christensen, Fermin, Olmo, and potentially Frenkie de Jong, although both De Jong and Gavi have returned to training.
In terms of the starting lineup, Hansi Flick is likely to make further adjustments, with Pedri expected to return after being rested against Getafe. This could mean Eric Garcia, Casado, and Pablo Torre will compete for the remaining two midfield spots.
Predicted Lineups
Stats
- Barcelona has won their last 11 matches in La Liga.
- Barcelona has won their last 6 matches against Osasuna in all competitions.
- Barcelona has won both the first half and full-time in their last 4 La Liga matches.
Goals Scored & Conceded
Prediction
Despite Osasuna’s inconsistent start to the season, they have maintained a positive balance, especially at home, where they remain unbeaten under Vicente Moreno. As they face the league leaders, they will aim to showcase their home strength to earn valuable points.
On the other hand, Barcelona remains unbeaten with a perfect record of 7 wins from 7 matches. They will be pushing for an eighth win to stay atop the standings and maintain their gap from the nearest rivals.
Predicted Score (via Whoscored): Osasuna 1-2 Barcelona
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