CA Osasuna vs Athletic Club Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

CA Osasuna will be keen to secure a home win in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey semi-final against Athletic Club at El Sadar on Wednesday.

CA Osasuna will be keen to take advantage of home support to secure a first-leg lead over Athletic Club in the Copa Del Rey semi-final on Wednesday.

The clash fades in comparison to El Clasico that makes up the other semi-final. While it will lack the same quality, there will be no shortage of passion and effort between the two sides, who will be keen to make it to the showpiece event.

Los Rojillos have had to resort to extra time or penalties to get the better of their last three opponents. The home side defeated defending champions Real Betis and a fancied Sevilla in the last two rounds, clearly showcasing their credentials as contenders.

Osasuna made it to the final of the competition just once in 2005. They were unable to go all the way and fell to Real Betis 2-1 in extra time. Athletic Club, meanwhile, are the second most successful side in the Copa Del Rey, having managed 23 triumphs.

Athletic Club have made the final of the competition twice in the last three years. But one will need to go all the way back to 1984 to relive their most recent triumph. Ernesto Valverde’s side are currently on a six-game losing streak in the final.

Neither side will be keen to see the opportunity slip away and are expected to give it their all. While the tie is spread over two games, it will not hurt to have an advantage from the first leg. It promises to be an exciting contest, with neither side yielding an inch. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.

Team News & Tactics

CA Osasuna

The home side was the only team from the semi-final lineup to win at the weekend. Jagoba Arrasate’s men have struggled for consistency this season and will hope to make it to just their second-ever Copa Del Rey final.

The win could not have come at a better time for Osasuna given that they went into the weekend winless since their victory over Sevilla at the quarter-final stage in January. Getting that monkey off their back will give Osasuna the liberty to play with freedom.

Having failed to get past the Last 16 stage for the last 12 years, this season’s dream run hands Arraste a chance to further cement his role in club history. The semi-final doubleheader is the club’s biggest match in some time now. And they will be expected to field their best XI.

Ruben Pena is set to miss the match thanks to a torn muscle while Ruben Garcia picked up a knock on his thigh on Sunday. Arrasate rested some of his best players at the weekend, and the breather should keep them fresh for the game.

A 4-3-3- formation is likely to be the order of the day for the home side. The lineup also affords them the flexibility to change things up when needed. Sergio Herrera is expected to start in goal behind the back four of Jon Moncayola, Unai Garcia, David García and Juan Cruz.

Lucas Torro should hold the fort in central midfield, with Moi Gomez and Aimar Oroz flanking him. The trio will be keen to seize the battle in the middle of the park early on and dictate the pace at which it is played.

Ezequiel Avila and Abde Ezzalzouli will provide width behind Kike Garcia, who should lead the line. The trio can be a handful on the day and should present problems for the Athletic defence.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Herrera; Moncayola, Unai Garcia, David Garcia, Cruz; Gomez, Torro, Oroz; Avila, Kike Garcia, Abde

Athletic Club

The competition’s second most successful side have had a rough run of results in the final over the last four decades. Ernesto Valverde has won the competition both as a player and a manager with Barcelona and will be keen to break Athletic Club’s hoodoo this season.

He will, however, have decisions to make after a frustrating series of events saw the visitors rack up injuries to key players. Yeray Alvarez, Unai Simon and Jon Morcillo were all taken off at the weekend and are in doubt for the game. They join Ander Herrera and Inigo Martinez on the sidelines.

Valverde might as well have walked past a black cat as Nico Williams, and Raul Garcia injured their knee and shoulder respectively in training to cast gloom over their participation in the match.

The absentees coupled with Osasuna’s home advantage tilt the momentum in the home side’s favour. And Valverde will need to get his tactics spot on to ruin a party at El Sadar. Given that they arrive for the game on the back of two straight losses, momentum is not their ally. And Valverde could adopt a safety-first approach.

A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the go-to tactic on the night, with Julen Agirrezabala in goal. The Spaniard will be the last line of defence behind the quartet of Oscar De Marcos, Yeray Alvarez, Aitor Paredes and Yuri Berchiche. Both full-backs scored at the weekend and will be tasked with providing width on the counter.

Mikel Vesga and Oihan Sancet will form the double pivot and be tasked with sweeping in front of the defence. The sooner the duo can establish control, the easier it will make life difficult for the visitors. It will also free up the trio of Inaki Williams, Iker Munian and Alex Berenguer for offensive operations.

Gorka Guruzeta will be tasked with leading the attack and causing havoc in the Osasuna box. How well he can combine with the three attackers behind him will determine Athletic Club’s chances of silencing the Sadar.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Alvarez, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Sancet; Inaki Williams, Muniain, Berenguer; Guruzeta

Key Stats

• Osasuna have made it to the final of the Copa Del Rey just once, in 2005.
• Athletic Club are the second most successful side in the competition’s history, winning it 23 times. Only Barcelona have won the competition more times (31).
• Athletic Club’s losing streak of six is the worst record of that kind for any side in the competition’s history.
• Athletic Bilbao have conceded just two goals in the Copa Del Rey this season.
• Only Real Madrid have lost more Copa Del Rey finals than Athletic Club.

Player to Watch

Gorka Guruzeta

The striker is the most prolific of Athletic Club’s attackers in terms of goals scored per 90 minutes. He has five goals for the club this season from just 18 shots. While the statistic might not showcase him to be prolific, the 26-year-old’s runs will also open up space for lker Munian and Inaki Williams to wreak havoc.

If he gets in between the Osasuna defenders, there is every reason to believe Athletic Club can come away with the bragging rights for the night.

Prediction

CA Osasuna 1-1 Athletic Club

The clash is likely to be a feisty one with both sides chasing glory. Athletic’s injuries and a poor run of form should see them adopt a defensive-minded approach to the game, at least in the initial stages. Both sides are otherwise more or less evenly matched. And a scoring draw appears to be the most likely outcome. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 stalemate on Wednesday.