Back-to-back wins have thrust Athletic Club into the European conversation, while the opposite can be said for Osasuna, as successive defeats have left them peering over their shoulder.
Match News and Current Form
Things are looking fairly bleak for Osasuna at present, as their rotten eight-game run (W1, D1, L6) was exacerbated by back-to-back away defeats against Sevilla and Deportivo A Coruña. The small saving grace for Osasuna perhaps comes in the fact that the four points they collected therein came in home games, so returning to El Sadar will perhaps fuel belief they can pull clear of the bottom three. One defeat from five home league games this term (W2, D2) should reinforce hope that a response could arrive here, but it’s difficult to escape the fact that their four prior games this term against sides joining Athletic in the top eight pre-round all ended in defeat.
After opening their La Liga campaign with successive losses, Athletic have responded in clinical fashion, losing just one of their eight games which followed (W4, D3) after a Basque derby win over Real Sociedad in the last round. With a game in hand too, Athletic look to be in a strong position to challenge for the European spots once more, but with 11 of their 15 La Liga points this term being earned on home soil, their travelling form leaves a lot to be desired. Shortcomings on the road have plagued them for a while now, as the Lions have won just four of their last 22 top-flight away games (D4, L14).
Head-to-Head History
Athletic are unbeaten in the last six La Liga H2Hs (W3, D3) and have won on seven of their last ten visits to Osasuna in the top flight (D1, L2).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Osasuna’s home league games this season produced a pre-round league-low two second-half goals.
Osasuna’s last ten competitive home matches saw both teams receive 2+ yellow cards.
Athletic failed to score before half-time in seven of their ten La Liga games this term.
Athletic have kept the joint-second most clean sheets in La Liga this season pre-round (five).
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Osasuna’s Abel Bretones has committed 15 fouls this season, and although they’ve helped earn him three yellow cards, none of those bookings came in home games. Athletic’s Iñaki Williams boasts a respectable seven career La Liga goal contributions against Osasuna (G4, A3), with the lion’s share of those coming in away H2Hs (G3, A2).
Osasuna have no fresh concerns, while Athletic’s Ruiz de Galarreta could return here.
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Betting Analysis
Athletic may be favoured here by the bookmakers, but their indifferent away form means that a punt on Osasuna/Draw in the double chance market could be the best approach.
Author: Chris Wilson