Real Madrid endeavors to clinch their 22nd victory in the 2023-24 La Liga season as they journey to Estadio El Sadar on Saturday afternoon to confront Osasuna. Positioned at the helm of the league standings, Real Madrid holds a seven-point advantage over the second-placed Girona. Meanwhile, Osasuna occupies the 10th spot on the table, trailing Real Sociedad in sixth place by seven points.
Match preview
Osasuna entered their recent match against Girona last weekend with a four-game undefeated streak, but their momentum faltered as they suffered a 2-0 defeat against the Catalan team.
This outcome positioned Jagoba Arrasate’s team with 36 points from 28 matches in the current La Liga season, securing them the 10th spot on the league table. They stand seven points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad in the competition for European berths.
Following a seventh-place finish in La Liga last season and an appearance in the Copa del Rey final, Osasuna’s performance has declined in the 2023-24 season, marked by inconsistent results.
At home, Osasuna has recorded six wins, three draws, and five defeats in their 14 league matches this season. They are now preparing to face Real Madrid, who possess the best away record in Spain’s top flight, having amassed 31 points from 14 matches, including nine victories.
Osasuna has not secured a victory against Real Madrid in La Liga since January 2011. In the earlier encounter between the two teams this season at Bernabeu, Osasuna suffered a 4-0 defeat.
Real Madrid leads the La Liga standings this season, having won 21, drawn six, and lost one of their 28 matches, resulting in 69 points. With a seven-point lead over second-placed Girona and an eight-point lead over third-placed Barcelona, Real Madrid is currently in a commanding position in the title race.
In addition to their domestic success, Real Madrid has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, aiming for further European glory. They demonstrated their strength in La Liga last weekend by defeating Celta Vigo 4-0 at Bernabeu.
Looking ahead, Real Madrid will face Athletic Bilbao at home on March 31, followed by Champions League fixtures in April. The potential addition of Kylian Mbappe to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window adds an intriguing dimension to their campaign.
While Real Madrid has emerged victorious in their last two visits to Osasuna in La Liga, including a 2-0 win in the corresponding fixture last season, their sole league defeat this season occurred on the road against Atletico Madrid, with a 3-1 loss in September.
Team News
Osasuna will be deprived of the participation of four players on Saturday due to injuries, namely Aimar Oroz, David Garcia, Kike Barja, and Ruben Pena, rendering them unavailable for selection.
It is anticipated that Moi Gomez will assume the position formerly occupied by Oroz in the starting lineup. Nevertheless, the composition of the team is expected to remain largely unchanged from the lineup that contested the recent match against Girona.
Ante Budimir has exhibited remarkable performance throughout the 2023-24 La Liga season, netting 14 goals. It is envisaged that he will receive support from Ruben Garcia, who will operate from a deeper position.
On the contrary, Real Madrid continues to grapple with the absence of Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and David Alaba due to ACL injuries. Additionally, Dani Ceballos’s participation is uncertain owing to a calf injury.
Furthermore, Los Blancos will need to navigate through another match without their top scorer, Jude Bellingham, who is serving the second match of his suspension following a red card incident against Valencia.
In light of these circumstances, it is anticipated that Head Coach Ancelotti will implement changes to the squad lineup, building upon the previous encounter against Celta.
Dani Carvajal, who was rested during the 4-0 victory, is slated to return to the lineup as the right-back. Moreover, Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni are expected to reclaim their positions in midfield, potentially displacing Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga, who may be relegated to the bench for the forthcoming match against Osasuna.
Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; U Garcia, Catena, Herrando; Areso, Moncayola, Torro, M Gomez, Mojica; Ruben Garcia; Budimir
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Brahim; Vinicius, Rodrygo