Osasuna vs Valencia La Liga Match Preview and Prediction
Image credits: JUAN MANUEL SERRANO ARCE / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP
Osasuna will host Valencia in a La Liga match on Sunday, with both teams aiming to secure a vital win to enhance their positions in the table. Valencia are currently 18th in the La Liga table, level on points with 17th-placed Las Palmas, while Osasuna are 12th, only three points behind sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano in the race to secure European football. Osasuna have won seven, drawn 11, and lost seven of their 25 league matches this season, collecting 32 points, which has left them in 12th spot in the table.
Valencia have a record of five wins, eight draws, and 12 defeats from their 25 league matches this season, with 23 points leaving them in 18th spot in the table. Los Che will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 home defeat to Atletico, with that loss ending a three-game unbeaten run in La Liga. Valencia have struggled on their travels this season, failing to triumph in 12 matches, which is an indication of the size of their task in this match. The six-time Spanish champions have not been relegated from Spain's top flight since 1987, and there is no question that it would be one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition if they dropped out of La Liga this season. Valencia's away form is a concern, but they have actually won on each of their last three trips to Osasuna in Spain's top flight, including a 1-0 success last term, with consistency being key to their success.
Osasuna will welcome Jesus Areso and Aimar Oroz back into their squad after the pair missed out against Celta through suspension. Areso and Oroz are both expected to come back into the XI for this match, but head coach Vicente Moreno is likely to continue with a 5-3-2 formation, including Bryan Zaragoza alongside Ante Budimir in the final third of the field. Budimir has again been in strong form this season, scoring 13 times in Spain's top flight, and the 33-year-old will be bidding to fire his side to another three points in Sunday's affair, with his goalscoring ability being crucial. As for Valencia, Thierry Correia remains on the sidelines with a long-term knee injury, but Los Che are otherwise in strong shape, and there will be changes from the side that started against Atletico.
The possible starting lineups for the match are: Osasuna - Herrera; Areso, Boyomo, Catena, Herrando, Bretones; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Budimir, Zaragoza, and Valencia - Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gaya; Pepelu, Barrenechea, Guerra; Almeida, Duro, D Lopez. The match is expected to be closely contested, with both teams having a good chance of winning, but Valencia's away struggles would make a point a positive result. The outcome of the match is difficult to predict, but one thing is certain - it will be an exciting encounter between two teams fighting for different goals.
In their last match, Osasuna and Valencia shared the spoils in a six-goal La Liga classic, with the final score being 3-3. The visitors began brightly and broke the deadlock, but Osasuna responded well to restore parity. The match was a topsy-turvy contest, with both teams having their moments, and ultimately, the spoils were shared. The result extended Valencia's winless run on the road to 16 away league games for the first time since 1983. The match statistics were:
- Osasuna: 3 goals, 10 shots on target, 55% possession
- Valencia: 3 goals, 12 shots on target, 45% possession
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