Osasuna vs Villarreal Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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We have two teams firmly ensconced in the middle-of-the-table with the hosts looking to join their visitors by finishing in the top-half of La Liga this season.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 25th May, 2024 - UK – 13:00 / US EST – 08:00 / US PST – 06:00
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on Viaplay Sports in the UK. / This match will not be televised live in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be streamed live the Viaplay Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via ESPN+ in the US.
OSASUNA PREVIEW: A SEASON OF INERTIA
Last season, under the management of Jago Arrasate, Osasuna launched themselves into the top seven and earned UEFA Europa Conference League qualification from La Liga, as well as reaching the final of the Copa del Rey but eventually losing by two goals to one against Real Madrid at La Cartuja in Seville.
The Pamplona-based club were always going to find that difficult to follow up this season and that has been the case as they head into the final day of the campaign sitting in the bottom-half of the table. They may well be finishing well, though, with back-to-back draws being followed up by a 4-1 hammering of Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano last weekend.
VILLARREAL PREVIEW: FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH
Last weekend, the penultimate match day of the 2023/24 La Liga season, Villarreal played out an absolute thriller against champions Real Madrid at El Madrigal. Alexander Sorloth notched all four for the Yellow Submarine in a 4-4 draw and that means they have now suffered just three defeats in their last 19 matches across all competitions.
Villarreal began the season really poorly and sacked both former Barcelona coach Quique Setien as well as Pacheta by the November international. Former Valencia and Olympique de Marseille boss Marcelino was also under pressure but they soon turned it around and will head into next season expecting to be pushing for Europe, once again.
OSASUNA TEAM NEWS: KIKE BARJA REMAINS OUT
Jago Arrasate and Osasuna are dealing with a couple of injury concerns for the visit of Villarreal to El Sadar on the final day. Defender David Garcia remains a doubt, whilst key attacker Kike Barja is unavailable.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-4-1): Herrera; Areso, Catena, Herrando, Mojica; Munoz; Ra. Garcia, Ibanez, Lucas Torro, Pena; Ru. Garcia
UNAVAILABLE: Kike Barja (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: David Garcia (Injured)
VILLARREAL TEAM NEWS: ALBERTO MORENO OUT SUSPENDED
Villarreal are without former Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno due to suspension, whilst former Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth as well as Denis Suarez are out injured with Alfonso Pedraza a strong doubt, too.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Jorgensen; Mosquera, Bailly, Cuenca, Mandi; Akhomach, Comesana, Parejo, Goncalo Guedes; Gerard Moreno, Sorloth
UNAVAILABLE: Alberto Moreno (Suspended), Foyth (Injured), Suarez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Pedraza (Injured)
OSASUNA VS VILLARREAL PREDICTION
Osasuna do generally play quite a reactive style of football and that has been something that has perhaps frustrated supporters this season but there is genuinely a lot of attacking talent, as shown by their 4-1 demolition of Atletico Madrid. Villarreal are one of the real entertainers in La Liga and their 37 matches so far this season have consisted of a total of 128 goals so this final day clash could well be another entertaining and high-scoring encounter at El Sadar.
OSASUNA VS VILLARREAL TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
