Barcelona have quickly erased any worry that they could miss out on a Champions League place this season in La Liga, as they have returned to form and currently sit third. They come up against an inconsistent opponent this weekend in the form of Osasuna.
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It would be hard to say that Xavi’s job at Barcelona to this point has been anything other than a success. The legendary midfielder has quickly taken the Catalonian giants back into the top four of the standings, and could yet chase down Sevilla to move up to second. Just seven points is the difference between the two sides, which doesn’t look the widest of margins, especially considering Barcelona have a game in hand.
The Catalonian giants have won their last three games in La Liga, and are also fighting in the Europa League, which could be their back-up route into the Champions League. Barcelona were professional last weekend, as they came back from 1-0 down to beat Elche.
Ferran Torres levelled the scores on the hour mark, before the three points were secured from the penalty spot with six minutes remaining as Memphis Depay smashed home.
Osasuna aren’t playing for a great deal in the second half of the season, as they already look far enough away from the relegation places, but are also not within touching distance of the European spots. They have been inconsistent over their last five games, as they have won twice, lost twice and drawn once.
They ended a two-game losing run in their last fixture, as they held on to a 1-0 win against Villarreal. Osasuna had just 27% of the ball in that win, but the only goal of the game was scored by Ezequiel Avila after 63 minutes.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Head to Head
Barcelona’s record in this fixture is extremely strong. The Catalonian giants have won two of the previous three meetings, and have won seven of the last ten. Osasuna’s latest win in this fixture came at the Nou Camp in July 2020, as they famously won 2-1. The meeting earlier this season ended in a 2-2 draw.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Prediction
Osasuna will once again look to play on the counter-attack this weekend. However, we can’t see them getting the same success as last weekend. Therefore, the safe bet is for Barcelona this weekend as they win a fourth straight game in the league.
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