Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will look to make it eight wins in a row in the league when they hit the road to face Osasuna.
League leaders Barcelona will look to maintain their dominant run in the new season when they travel to face Osasuna, who have had a mixed start to the new season.
Apart from the 2-1 defeat at the hands of AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona have won all their games in the new season. They comfortably sit at the top of their table with 21 points in their seven outings.
The Blaugrana are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Getafe. The Catalan giants will be disappointed with the result given the number of goals they have put past other oppositions.
Barcelona did dominate the ball against Getafe and created a lot of chances. But they were not clinical enough in the final third. They will look for an improved performance against Osasuna. The visitors are 7th on the points table with 11 points out of their seven league games. They have won three, drawn two and lost two so far.
Osasuna are heading into this fixture on the back of a 0-0 draw against Valencia. It was a closely contested encounter, but they will be disappointed to have not come out on top. The game against Barcelona will be a bigger test for them and it will be interesting to see how they act. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Osasuna
Iker Munoz and Kike Barja remain on the sidelines for Osasuna against Barcelona. Apart from the duo, everyone else is expected to be available for selection. The manager is expected to make a few changes to the XI that started in their last outing with Ante Budimir and Bryan Zaragoza likely to return to the starting XI.
The home team will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, where Sergio Herrera will take charge between the sticks. Jesus Areso and Abel Bretones will be the full-backs, while Flavien Enzo Boyomo and Jorge Herrando will feature in the heart of the defence.
Jon Moncayola will start alongside Lucas Torró and Moi Gómez in front of the backline. The trio will have a lot of defensive duties and they will look to ensure Barcelona midfielders do not end up dominating possession to deep in their half. Bryan Zaragoza and Aimar Oroz will feature on the flanks. They will provide width to their attacks, while Ante Budimir will be leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Herrera; Areso, Boyomo, Herrando, Bretones; Moncayola, Torro, M Gomez; Zaragoza, Budimir, Oroz
Barcelona
The Catalan giants will be without as many as eight first-team stars. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, and Andreas Christensen are all out injured.
The fans will be happy to hear there are no fresh injury concerns. Hansi Flick will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation. Inaki Pena will continue to be the number one in Ter Stegen’s absence. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will be the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi will start alongside Inigo Martinez in the heart of the defence.
Eric Garcia and Pedri will most likely form the double pivot in midfield. Pablo Torre could once again start as the attacking midfielder. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha should feature on the flanks for the visitors, while in form Robert Lewandowski will continue to lead the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; E Garcia, Pedri; Yamal, Torre, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Key Stats
- Barcelona will be aiming for their eighth straight win in La Liga having won each of their seven games so far.
- Osasuna have been exceptional at home this season with 10 points out of a possible 12.
- The home team have not won against Barcelona since the summer of 2020.
- Barcelona have won each of their last five league games against Osasuna.
- The corresponding fixture last season ended 2-1 in favour of the Catalan giants.
Player to Watch
Robert Lewandowski
36-year-old Robert Lewandowski has made a phenomenal start to the new season. The Polish international has scored seven goals and has also bagged two assists in his first seven league outings. He will be eager to add to his tally when he takes the field against Osasuna.
Prediction
Osasuna 0-4 Barcelona
Barcelona have won each of their last seven league outings. They have been the most dominant team in Spain so far and are expected to carry on in a similar fashion. While they only managed a goal against Getafe, they could once again hit top gear against the 7th-placed team. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-0 win for the away team.