Real Sociedad's pursuit of the top four in La Liga will continue on Saturday evening when they make the trip to an Osasuna side that have found it difficult during the 2023-24 campaign.
The visitors are currently sixth in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Barcelona, while Osasuna are down in 14th, only picking up 14 points from their opening 14 matches of the season.
Match preview
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Osasuna enjoyed an impressive 2022-23 campaign, finishing seventh in La Liga, in addition to making the Copa del Rey final, but it would be fair to say that it has been a tough season to date for the club.
Indeed, a record of four wins, two draws and eight defeats from 14 matches has left them down in 14th position in the table on 14 points, some 10 points off seventh-placed Real Betis.
Osasuna appeared to have turned a corner when they won two of their three league games between October 1 and October 20, but they have picked up just one point from their last four matches, losing to Real Betis, Girona and Villarreal in the process.
Jagoba Arrasate's side found it difficult in the final third of the field this season, only managing 16 goals in their 14 matches, while they have one of the poorer defensive records in the division with 24 conceded.
Only the bottom two, Granada (nine) and Almeria (11) have lost more La Liga games than Los Rojillos during the 2023-24 campaign, and they have only managed one win at home this term, which came against struggling Granada in October.
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Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
The Basque outfit were already through to the knockout round ahead of the contest with the Austrian side, and they will go head-to-head with Inter Milan for first position in Group D next month.
Real Sociedad have also won their two matches in the league since the 1-0 defeat to Barcelona earlier this month, overcoming both Almeria and Sevilla, and a total of 25 points from 14 matches has left them in sixth spot.
The Basque side are six points behind fourth-placed Barcelona, so they have work to do when it comes to the top four, with Girona currently in the Champions League spots alongside the reigning champions, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
Imanol Alguacil's side have actually won each of their last five La Liga matches with Osasuna, while they have not lost to Saturday's opponents in Spain's top flight since May 2012, which is an indication of the size of the task facing the home side in this contest.
Team News
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Osasuna will again be without the services of Darko Brasanac due to a muscular problem, while Kike Barja remains a doubt for the home side, as he bids to overcome a muscular issue of his own.
The home side did not suffer any fresh injury problems against Villarreal last time out, but there could be changes for this match, with Ezequiel Avila and Raul Garcia potentially coming into the side.
Ante Budimir is the team's leading goalscorer in the league this season with seven, and he will again feature in the final third of the field for Osasuna this weekend.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will be without the services of forwards Carlos Fernandez and Martin Merquelanz, with both players on the sidelines due to knee injuries.
Mikel Oyarzabal was back in the side against Salzburg after recovering from a recent injury, and the Spain international should again feature in the final third of the field this weekend.
There will be changes from the Champions League fixture, though, with Hamari Traore, Takefusa Kubo, Umar Sadiq, Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand set to be among those to return to the XI.
Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Areso, Catena, D Garcia, Mojica; Moncayola, Torro; Raul Garcia, Oroz, Avila; Budimir
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Traore, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Munoz; Mendez, Zubimendi, Merino; Kubo, Sadiq, Oyarzabal
We say: Osasuna 1-2 Real Sociedad
Osasuna will certainly be the fresher of the two teams, and the home side are capable of picking up a positive result this weekend. Real Sociedad are in good form at the moment, though, and we are expecting their superior quality, especially in the forward areas, to help them secure all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
