Barcelona and Osasuna are all set to square up against each other for a place in the final of the Spanish Super Cup.
Osasuna have an opportunity to cause an upset and knock Barcelona, the record winners of the Super Cup, out of the competition. The away team have made it to the final four of this tournament after finishing as the runners-up in the Copa del Rey last time out, while the home team have made their way by winning the league.
Barcelona have not been at their best since the start of the 2023/24 season. But they are still in the race for all major titles, and a win over Osasuna can help them get one step closer to the Spanish Super Cup title. They have already won the tournament a record 14 times and are looking to make it 15 this time out.
Xavi’s men have been inconsistent, but they have the much-needed quality to get past the opposition and make their way to the final. They have won both their matches since the turn of the year and will look to make it three in a row when they face Osasuna in the Middle East on Thursday.
The away team have struggled to maintain consistency since the start of the new season. But, they have the opportunity of making it to their first-ever final of the Super Cup. This is their first appearance in the competition on the back of an impressive Copa del Rey run last time, which ended just short of their first major title.
Osasuna finished seventh last season in the league but they have not been able to reach similar heights this time out. They might not be in similar form but have won both their matches since the start of 2024 and will be confident about their chances of getting the desired result.
The two teams met earlier in the season in a league clash, where Robert Lewandowski netted a late penalty to seal all three points for the Catalan giants. This time around, the stakes are higher and it could be a closely fought encounter. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
Xavi Hernandez will be without the services of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gavi and Marcos Alonso. Inigo Martinez might be a part of the squad but he is unlikely to play a part as he was forced off within 11 minutes of his injury comeback on Sunday.
Joao Cancelo and Pedri have also travelled to Saudi Arabia, but their availability is a major doubt about the semi-final clash. Irrespective of the personnel available, Xavi will stick to the 4-3-3 formation where Inaki Pena will be in goal.
With Cancelo unlikely to play a part, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde should be the full-backs. Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen will take charge at the heart of the defence.
While the back four will look for a clean sheet, the midfielders will look to dictate the pace of this game. Frenkie de Jong will feature in a holding role, and he will have the support of former Manchester City skipper Ilkay Gundogan and Sergi Roberto.
Raphinha will take charge on the right flank, while Ferran Torres will take charge on the left. The duo will look to provide width to their attack and create chances for Robert Lewandowski, who will be lead the line for Barcelona against Osasuna.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pena; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Roberto, De Jong, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Torres
Osasuna
Jagoba Arrasate will be without the services of Chimy Avila, who picked up an injury in their recent league win over Almeria. Unai Garcia and Johan Mojica are both back from injury and should feature among the substitutes.
Having rotated his squad for their last outing, Arrasate is expected to call back his regular first-team players for this semi-final clash. He will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, where Sergio Herrera will be in goal.
Jesus Areso and Ruben Pena will feature as the full-backs. While they would love to join the attack, the duo is expected to help their centre-back pairing of David Garcia and Alejandro Catena in keeping things tight at the back.
In the centre of the park, Lucas Torro will start alongside Jon Moncayola and Aimar Oroz in an attempt to stop Barcelona from dominating the proceedings. Ante Budimir and Arnaiz will feature on the flanks. They will provide width to their attack and will look to create chances for their forward Moi Gomez.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Herrera; Areso, D. Garcia, Catena, Pena; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Arnaiz, Gomez, Budimir
Key Stats
- Barcelona are record winners of the Super Cup, having lifted the trophy on 14 occasions.
- Osasuna have lost six out of their last seven matches against Barcelona.
- The Catalan giants’ last 12 wins have all come by a one-goal margin.
- The away team last defeated Barcelona over three years back. Their last win came back in July 2020.
- Osasuna have failed to score more than one goal in seven out of their last eight matches but they have kept things tight at the back with three clean sheets in the last four outings.
Player to Watch
Robert Lewandowski
After a sensational debut season, Lewandowski has failed to live up to expectations this time out. While he has 15 goal contributions in his 23 outings, the 35-year-old has not been as clinical in the final third as he was last term.
His form in front of goal has become a cause of concern, and the Catalan giants will hope that he gets going in the Super Cup. Even the player will be keen to get a few goals under his belt and get back to his best.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna
Osasuna had an exceptional 2022/23 season, which is why they find themselves in the Super Cup semi-final. But, they have not been able to reach the levels of last season. They have been inconsistent and squaring up against Barcelona will be a tough challenge.
Even Xavi’s team have not been at their best, but they have managed to get the job done on multiple occasions. They will be confident about their chances and will look to ensure they win by a big margin having won each of their last 12 matches by just one goal margin. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the Catalan giants.
