Barcelona will look to take another big step towards defending the La Liga title when they hit the road to face Osasuna.

Osasuna will look to bolster their chances of securing a European spot with a win against leaders Barcelona when they welcome them to the Estadio El Sadar on Saturday evening.

The home team are ninth on the table with 42 points in their 33 outings. Los Rojillos are only two points behind sixth-placed Getafe, and they have a realistic chance of securing a UEFA Europa Conference League spot.

Osasuna are heading into this fixture on the back of an important 2-1 win over Sevilla. While they will be confident about their chances, going up against the best team in the competition won’t be easy. Given the hosts’ recent track record against Barcelona, they might end up having a tough day at the office.

Meanwhile, the visitors are top of the table with 85 points in their 33 outings. The Catalan giants have won each of their last nine league outings and have an 11-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid. The Blaugrana look set to secure the league title, and a win here will get them within touching distance.

A win over Osasuna will mean they could wrap up the title against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Clasico next week. Since getting knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona have won their last two league outings, and they will be clear favourites heading into this one. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Osasuna

The home team will be without the services of Iker Benito (knee) and Victor Munoz (calf). Apart from the duo, everyone else is expected to be fully fit and available for selection.

Osasuna will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Sergio Herrera will be in goal. Valentin Rosier and Javi Galan will feature as the full-backs, while Flavien Boyomo will line up alongside Alejandro Catena in the central defensive partnership.

As for the midfield unit, Jon Moncayola will form the double pivot alongside Iker Munoz in the centre of the park. The duo will have a lot of defending to do against a star-studded Barcelona side.

Ruben Garcia and Raul Morro will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attack. The duo will look to hit the Catalan giants on the break. Aimar Oroz will feature in the number ten role behind Ante Budimir, who will continue to lead the line for Osasuna against Barcelona this weekend.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Herrera; Rosier, Boyomo, Catena, Galan; Munoz, Moncayola; Ruben Garcia, Oroz, Morro; Budimir

Barcelona

Raphinha (hamstring) and Marc Bernal (ankle) are minor doubts for this fixture. Even if they are back in the squad, the duo will unlikely start here. Lamine Yamal (hamstring) and Andreas Christensen (knee) remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Jules Kounde is suspended for this fixture.

The visitors will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Joan Garcia will be in goal. Eric Garcia and Joao Cancelo are expected to be the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi will pair up with Gerard Martin in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Pedri and Gavi will form the double pivot in the middle of the pitch. The duo will shield the backline and look to ensure they control the tempo of the game. Dani Olmo will take up the number ten role, with Roony Bardghji and Fermin Lopez on the flanks. Finally, Ferran Torres is expected to spearhead the Barcelona attack against Osasuna on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Gavi, Pedri; Bardghji, Olmo, Fermin; Torres

Key Stats

• Barcelona have won each of their last nine league games heading into this fixture.
• Osasuna have only won two out of their last 12 home games against the Catalan giants.
• Osasuna secured a 4-2 win over Barcelona at home in September 2024.
• Barcelona have found the back of the net in all of their league games. They have extended their overall run to 53 league outings.
• The reverse fixture ended 2-0 in favour of Hansi Flick’s team.

Player to Watch

Gavi

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It has been a while since Gavi made his return from injury, but Hansi Flick has been very careful with how he uses the 21-year-old. The German manager is slowly increasing his game time in recent weeks, and he looks set for another start here.

While he is yet to contribute towards a goal since his return, Gavi is slowly getting back to his best. He has all the skillsets needed to make a difference here. With a few of their star forwards unavailable, the youngster could look to step up and deliver a masterclass. Irrespective of whether he gets a goal or not, he will certainly help Barcelona dominate the ball.

Prediction

Osasuna 0-3 Barcelona

Osasuna host title-chasing Barcelona at El Sadar on Saturday evening, desperate for a win to close the two-point gap to sixth-placed Getafe and snag a Conference League spot. Fresh off a gritty 2-1 over Sevilla, the hosts will be banking on counters against a side that has won nine straight league games and leads Real Madrid by 11.

Barcelona have scored in every league game this season (53 straight overall), thumped Osasuna 2-0 away earlier, and despite that shock 4-2 loss here in September ’24, they have owned the last ten visits bar that blip. Expect Pedri and Gavi to boss midfield while the flanks carve them open. The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 3-0 win for Hansi Flick and his charges.