A busy week off the field at Barcelona could re-rail the remainder of the 2023-24 season after it was announced that Xavi would be stepping down at the end of the campaign. The revelation coincided with a defeat over the weekend, meaning a return to form is needed against Osasuna.
La Liga Preview
The reigning Spanish champions find themselves in a battle for a Champions League spot this season, with Barcelona currently sitting two points above Athletic Bilbao in fourth. Barcelona’s excellent recent form was halted in their previous match, as they fell to a disappointing late defeat against Villarreal at the Olympic Stadium.
It was an extremely underwhelming finish to that game for the reigning champions, as Barcelona appeared to be on their way to maximum points after going 3-2 up with just 20 minutes remaining. However, the Catalonian giants fell apart in the final ten minutes, conceding an equalizer in the 84th, before allowing two goals in the second half injury time. But, there would be little surprise to see them bounce back to form on Wednesday.
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Osasuna will be the visitors this week, as they look to continue their impressive run of form in La Liga. The Spanish side currently sits 12th in the standings, and they are ten points clear of the drop zone. They come into this round in good recent form after losing just once in their last five matches. A third win in four on Wednesday could lift them into the top half.
Osasuna will need to be better than they were in their previous match, as they could only play out a 1-1 draw against Sevilla. They scored ten minutes into the second half to salvage a draw in that fixture, with Ante Budimir finding the back of the net.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Head to Head
Barcelona have an impressive league record in this fixture after winning their last four against Osasuna in La Liga. Their most recent win came earlier this season after claiming a 2-1 success on the road. Osasuna’s latest win over Barcelona came in July 2020.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Prediction
The news of Xavi’s departure over the weekend stunned Barcelona, but a return to form on Wednesday looks to be the most likely outcome. The Spanish side has an excellent record in this fixture, and we fully expect them to land a 2-0 home win.
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