Osasuna will be aiming to stretch their unbeaten run of form in all competitions to five matches when they continue their La Liga campaign with a clash against Espanyol on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors are currently seventh in the La Liga table, boasting 24 points from their opening 16 matches of the season, but it has been a struggle for Espanyol this term, with the Catalan outfit down in 18th spot.
Match preview
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Espanyol boast a record of four wins, one draw and 10 defeats from their 15 league matches this season, which has left them in 18th spot in the table on 13 points, two points behind 17th-placed Leganes with a game in hand.
The Catalan outfit secured a return to La Liga for the 2024-25 campaign through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, and they have won four times in the top flight this term, but 10 defeats is the second-most in the 2024-25 division behind Real Valladolid (11).
Manolo Gonzalez's side have lost four of their last five matches in all competitions, including a 1-0 defeat at Getafe in La Liga last weekend, but they did beat Celta Vigo 3-1 in their last game on home soil.
All four of Espanyol's league wins this term have come in front of their own supporters, and their next two in the league will be at RCDE Stadium before ending 2024 with a trip to Las Palmas.
The White and Blues have not actually beaten Osasuna in La Liga since February 2017, but three of their last four meetings haver finished level, including a 1-1 in the corresponding match during the 2022-23 campaign.
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Osasuna will enter this clash off the back of a 2-2 stalemate with Alaves, and they have actually shared the points in their last three league games, also drawing with Villarreal and Seville since a heavy defeat at Real Madrid.
Vicente Moreno's side are unbeaten in their last four matches, but their only win during that spell was against Ceuta in the Copa del Rey, with the team's last league triumph coming at the start of November against Real Valladolid.
Los Rojillos boast a record of six wins, six draws and four defeats from their 16 league matches this season to collect 24 points, which has left them in seventh spot in the table.
Osasuna are only two points behind fifth-placed Villarreal, but they will surely need to tighten up defensively to be considered as potential challengers for a European spot this term, having conceded 25 times in their 16 matches.
The Pamplona outfit finished 11th in La Liga last term, but they were seventh as recent as 2022-23 and certainly have the squad to push high into the top half during the current season.
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Team News
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Espanyol will be without the services of Salvi Sanchez, Jose Gragera and Fernando Calero through injury on Saturday, while Omar El Hilali and Jofre Carreras are suspended after picking up milestone yellow cards against Getafe last time out.
Alvaro Tejero is expected to benefit from El-Hilali's ban to feature at right-back, while Antoniu Roca is in line to replace Carreras.
There is some good news on the availability front, though, with Marash Kumbulla back from a suspension of his own, and he will return in the middle of the defence for the contest with Osasuna.
The visitors will be without the services of Jose Arnaiz and Bryan Zaragoza through injury, while Jon Moncayola is suspended due to the yellow card that he picked up against Alaves last time out.
Iker Munoz is expected to come in for Moncayola in the middle of midfield, but Osasuna could otherwise be unchanged from the game with Alaves, meaning another start through the middle for Ante Budimir.
Ruben Garcia was on the scoresheet last time out and should keep his spot down the left, while Abel Bretones is expected to operate down the right for the away side on Saturday afternoon.
Espanyol possible starting lineup:
J Garcia; Tejero, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Olivan; Roca, Kral, Lozano, Smith, Puado; I Cardona
Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Cruz; Munoz, Torro; Ruben Garcia, Oroz, Bretones; Budimir
We say: Espanyol 1-1 Osasuna
Espanyol's best football this season has come on home soil, while Osasuna have only won one of their seven league games away from their own stadium in 2024-25. Three of the last four La Liga games between these two sides have finished all square, and we are also expecting the points to be shared on Saturday afternoon.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law