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Osauna logo
La Liga | Gameweek 14
Nov 24, 2024 at 1pm UK
Estadio El Sadar
Villarreal logo

Osasuna
2 - 2
Villarreal

Budimir (8', 20' pen.)
Boyomo (31'), Cardona (52'), Catena (75'), Oroz (84'), Parejo (90+1'), Torro (90+2')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Baena (67'), Moreno (90+3' pen.)
Albiol (19'), Marcelino (25'), Boyomo (39'), Comesana (45'), Baena (45+1'), Areso (84'), Moreno (90')

Preview: Osasuna vs. Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga clash between Osasuna and Villarreal, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Fifth will welcome fourth in an intriguing La Liga contest on Sunday afternoon, with Villarreal making the trip to El Sadar Stadium to tackle Osasuna.

Osasuna suffered a 4-0 defeat to Real Madrid in their last match before the international break, while Villarreal posted a 3-0 victory over Alaves to make it three straight wins in all competitions.


Match preview

Osasuna's Bryan Zaragoza on September 21, 2024© Imago

Osasuna have won six, drawn three and lost four of their 13 La Liga meetings this season to collect 21 points, which is enough for fifth spot in the table, only three points behind fourth-placed Villarreal.

Los Rojillos recorded three straight wins over Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Chiclana ahead of their trip to Real Madrid before the international break, but they suffered a 4-0 defeat to a wounded Los Blancos outfit.

Vicente Moreno's side will be bidding to get back on track this weekend, and they have been excellent at home this season, boasting the second-best record, having collected 16 points from their seven matches in front of their own supporters.

Osasuna finished 11th in Spain's top flight last season, but they were seventh in 2022-23 and certainly look capable of claiming a similar spot this term, as there have been plenty of encouraging signs in the opening months of the season.

The Pamplona outfit are winless in their last four La Liga matches against Villarreal, suffering three defeats in the process, but the corresponding match during the 2023-24 campaign ended in a 1-1 draw.

Villarreal's Ayoze Perez warms up ahead of the game on August 26, 2024© Imago

Villarreal, meanwhile, will enter this game off the back of three successive wins over Real Valladolid, Poblense and Alaves, while they are unbeaten in all competitions since a 2-0 reverse to Real Madrid at the start of October.

Marcelino's side have a record of seven wins, three draws and two defeats from their 12 La Liga matches this season, which has seen them collect 24 points, and they are only three points behind second-placed Real Madrid on the same number of games.

Atletico Madrid in third are only two points ahead of them and have played a game more, so it has been a strong start to the campaign for the Yellow Submarine, who have found the back of the net 23 times in their 12 matches.

Marcelino's team are the third-highest goalscorers in La Liga this term behind Barcelona (40) and Real Madrid (25), but they have conceded 19 times and will surely have to tighten up defensively in order to claim a top-four spot.

Villarreal finished down in eighth in Spain's top flight last season, so they are not playing European football in 2024-25, which could aid them in their attempts to return to Europe next term.

Osasuna La Liga form:


Osasuna form (all competitions):


Villarreal La Liga form:


Villarreal form (all competitions):



Team News

Villarreal forward Ayoze Perez on August 26, 2024© Imago

Osasuna have two injury doubts ahead of their clash against Villarreal, with Iker Benito and Kike Barja struggling, but Juan Cruz should be back in the squad after missing out against Real Madrid.

Head coach Moreno will not panic following the heavy defeat to Real Madrid last time out, so it would not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field for the clash with Villarreal.

Ante Budimir has scored six La Liga goals this season and will again operate through the middle, while there should be spots in the final third of the field for both Bryan Zaragoza and Ruben Pena.

Villarreal, meanwhile, have been hit with the news that Ayoze Perez is facing more time out with the muscular problem that he suffered during the November international break with Spain.

Perez has scored seven times in nine La Liga matches this season, and his absence will be a huge blow, while Pape Gueye, Alex Baena, Ilias Akhomach, Nicolas Pepe, Juan Foyth and Alfonso Pedraza are also out.

There will have to be a number of changes to the side that started against Alaves due to the list of absentees, meaning that there should be starts for the likes of Yeremy Pino, Juan Bernat, Thierno Barry and Santi Comesana.


Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Bretones; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Pena, Budimir, Zaragoza

Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Conde; Femenia, Albiol, Costa, S Cardona; Pino, Comesana, Parejo, Suarez, Bernat; Barry


SM words green background

We say: Osasuna 1-1 Villarreal

Even with a full squad, it would be bold to back a Villarreal win here considering Osasuna's home record this season; it would not be a surprise to see the hosts edge this one, but we are expecting the Yellow Submarine to be good enough for a point on Sunday afternoon.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Written by
Matt Law

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Game History

How you voted: Osasuna vs Villarreal

Osasuna
36.8%
Draw
33.0%
Villarreal
30.2%
106
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Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral during the pre-season friendly match at the City Ground, Nottingham on August 2, 2024 [on August 5, 2024]
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
2Barcelona19122551222938
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Mallorca199371921-230
6Villarreal177642928127
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Osasuna186752327-425
10Celta Vigo187382728-124
11Real BetisBetis176652021-124
12Sevilla176471823-522
13Rayo Vallecano175661920-121
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1743101629-1315
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


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