After CL-K.o.: How does Barça react?
The embarrassing Champions League exit is the big topic at FC Barcelona. The fall into the Europa League overshadows everything at the Catalans.
The big question ahead of Sunday’s La Liga performance is of course: How will Barça react to the CL knockout at FC Bayern Munich? Has Barcelona already digested the 0:3 and the fall into the Europa League after a few days or does the crisis now continue in LaLiga?
On Sunday afternoon (16:15), Barça play host to CA Osasuna in Pamplona on matchday 17 of La Liga and are of course desperate to show a reaction. Xavi’s team is also under pressure to win in La Liga due to their poor position in the table and the large gap between them and the Champions League places.
The Blaugrana are almost natural favourites, as the odds from the best bookmakers show in the Osasuna vs. Barcelona match. And yet the Osasuna vs. Barcelona bet on the away win is of course not without risk, not only because of the elimination from the top flight and the possible aftermath.
Osasuna – Statistics & current form
On paper, struggling FC Barcelona can think in advance that things could have been tougher in La Liga after the Munich defeat. That’s because Osasuna, while playing a good season by their standards, take the majority of their points away from home. Coach Jagoba Arrasate’s team has had its problems at home in El Sadar.
In eight home games, the Rojillos have only managed one win (with four draws and three defeats). Osasuna have also only scored a measly five goals at El Sadar. No team in La Liga has fewer home goals, with only three teams scoring fewer points in front of their home crowd.
Since seven games without a win in La Liga
The reeling FC Barcelona should be encouraged by these figures – which is why, in principle, the prediction for an away win for the visitors in Osasuna vs. Barcelona is naturally obvious in view of Osasuna’s meagre yield.
Scoring goals has been Osasuna’s biggest weakness of late: the team from Pamplona scored in only two of the last seven games, five times without a goal. No wonder that CA Osasuna has been waiting for a win for seven league games.
If you look at the betting provider Bwin, you will find an exciting bet in view of the home side’s offensive harmlessness: If FC Barcelona don’t concede a goal, Bwin offers odds of 2.50 on this bet for the match between Osasuna and Barcelona! We recommend the Bwin bonus for all those who do not yet have an account with this betting provider and want to play these exciting odds.
Predicted line-up of Osasuna:
Herrera – Vidal, U. Garcia, D. Garcia, Cote – Moncayola, Sanjurjo, Torres, Ontiveros – Avila, K. Garcia
Last matches played by Osasuna:
LaLiga
12/05 2021 – Levante 0 – 0 Osasuna Pamplona Copa del Rey
12/02 2021 – CF San Agustin 0 – 4 Osasuna Pamplona
LaLiga
11/29 2021 – Osasuna Pamplona 1 – 1 Elche
11/20 2021 – Atletico Madrid 1 – 0 Osasuna Pamplona
11/07 2021 – Osasuna Pamplona 0 – 2 San Sebastian
Barcelona – Statistics & current form
Osasuna’s home weakness, along with their difficulty in scoring goals, is certainly good news for FC Barcelona. Barça itself, of course, is having its problems scoring goals at the moment.
This became clear not only in the 3-0 defeat in the Champions League at the hands of the superior FC Bayern Munich, but also in previous games. Before that, they lost 1-0 at home to Betis in La Liga, drew 0-0 with Benfica in the Champions League and also needed a very flattering penalty for the goal of the day in Xavi’s 1-0 coaching debut win over Espanyol.
The Blaugrana have now had a real horror week. Two defeats in a row without a goal within four days against Betis and Bayern, plus the embarrassing exit in the Champions League. Barça is again (or: still) in a mighty crisis. How quickly can the Catalans shake off the ignominy of relegation to the Europa League?
Barcelona in crisis – and without more key players
Xavi has to get his team back on track as quickly as possible, “now the work begins”, the club legend had said after the defeat in Munich. A win in Pamplona would be something of a balm for the battered Catalan soul – those who believe in it will find betting odds of over 1.90 on Osasuna vs. Barcelona.
But beware: Barça is not only mentally but also physically battered. Besides the long-term injured Pedri, Agüero, Braithwaite, Ansu Fati and Sergi Roberto, Memphis Depay and Jordi Alba are now also out after the Bayern game – probably even for the rest of the year.
Barça is running out of offensive players. You should not bet on many goals in Osasuna vs. Barcelona, so the Under 2.5 goals is a good bet.
Predicted line-up of Barcelona:
Ter Stegen – Garcia, Piqué, Araujo – Busquets, F. De Jong, Gonzalez, Gavi – Ez Abde, L. De Jong, Dembélé
Last matches played by Barcelona:
Champions League Grp. E
12/08 2021 – Bayern Munich 3 – 0 Barcelona
LaLiga
12/04 2021 – Barcelona 0 – 1 Real Betis
11/27 2021 – Villarreal FC 1 – 3 Barcelona
Champions League Grp. E
11/23 2021 – Barcelona 0 – 0 Benfica
LaLiga
11/20 2021 – Barcelona 1 – 0 Espanyol
Osasuna – Barcelona Direct comparison / H2H balance
Barça have won the last two duels against Osasuna by nil. Last season, there was a 2-0 away win at El Sadar. However, the Rojillos traditionally make life difficult for the Blaugrana here.
The record at this stadium is pretty even. In 39 home games, Osasuna have won eleven, FC Barcelona have drawn 13 and won 15 – goal difference: 46:54, so you can definitely expect a very close game between two knocked-out teams.
Osasuna – Barcelona Tip
Don’t expect a goal spectacle from this match. Both teams go into the game in very poor form. Osasuna have failed to win seven games in a row and have only won one at home, Barça come to the north of Spain with two bitter defeats and a CL knockout in their luggage and also have only one win away from home to show for it.
It will certainly be a tough game at El Sadar, possibly very similar to last season at the same place. Barça won 2-0, but didn’t cover themselves with glory in an even match at a low level – the redemptive 2-0 was scored shortly before the end.
Somehow, Barça’s motto this time is to win. We believe that it will be successful in the end – even if it will be by the skin of its teeth. Therefore, our prediction for Osasuna vs. Barcelona is: The visitors from Catalonia will win
