PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Osasuna

There are just a dozen games left to play in La Liga and FC Barcelona are not only in the driving seat, but have also hit on a tremendous run of form.

They are currently on a six-match winning streak in the domestic championship, scoring 19 goals and conceding just two in the process, and their sky-high morale is now in the stratosphere after a fabulous Champions League win on Wednesday in Lisbon.

It's a comparable moment to the emphatic way in which Barça began La Liga 2024-25. Hansi Flick's first seven league games in charge were all wins, and it was beginning to look like nobody would be able to stop them this season. But somebody did. And that somebody was Osasuna. The side from Pamplona did what none of Barça's other first 12 opponents managed. They took points off Barça. Not only that, but they won, 4-2 at El Sadar.

Barça need to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again when they take on Osasuna again, this time at the Estadi Olimpic, in a Saturday 9pm CET kick-off.

Fans going to the game are advised to check the following information, as two major concerts are also being held in the vicinity of the stadium, which implies modifications to the usual transport situation.

Osasuna form guide

At the time when they upset Barça earlier this season, Osasuna were enjoying a decent start to their own campaign, and were even knocking on the Champions League door. But a 4-0 crushing at the hands of Real Madrid heralded in a drop in their form. That was the first of a series of 13 games through to the present day in which they have only managed to win one game.

That said, Osasuna's games have been extraordinarily tight. Eight of their last 12 games have been draws, and just three have been defeats, all by a single goal. They're still hanging on in eleventh place, and by no means entirely out of the running for a place in Europe next season.

Two innate goalscorers

This game brings together a Pole and a Croatian who are both among the top three goalscorers in the competition. Robert Lewandowski leads the way with an astonishing 21 goals, but Ante Budimir has been impressing as well with his 14 for Osasuna. The former Mallorca man scored twice in the game with Barça earlier this season, and is one of the main men to look out for.

Bryan Zaragoza is another. The Bayern Munich loanee also knows what it's like to score a brace against Barça, something he achieved wearing the Granada shirt in 2023.

Happening elsewhere

Barça go into this game with no knowledge of how their two main rivals have fared, as the two Madrid clubs both play on Sunday. Atlético travel to the south of the capital to take on Getafe at 2pm CET, and Real are in action in the game immediately after at 4.15pm CET, another derby, in their case at home to Rayo Vallecano.

Team news

With Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Marc Bernal probably out for the rest of the season, Barça are also hanging on the fitness of Andreas Christensen. Meanwhile, Gavi has been absent with a fever but it has finally cleared up and he should be fine to play on Saturday.

Osasuna don't have too much to worry about in the injuries department either. The main concern is Aimar Oroz, who was taken off in the 3-3 draw with Valencia last week, meaning it's uncertain whether he'll be good to go or not.

Hansi says

The Barça coach has admitted that rotations might be needed for the match, with the return game against Benfica to come so soon after on Tuesday. "We still haven't decided" he told his press conference on Friday. "But it's important to put the best possible team on the pitch.." FULL STORY HERE