Athletic Club vs Osasuna

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On Saturday night, Athletic Bilbao will strive to maintain their pursuit for a top-four spot in La Liga as they host Osasuna at San Mames.

Under the guidance of Ernesto Valverde, the team currently stands at fifth place in the standings, trailing fourth-placed Atletico Madrid by six points. Meanwhile, Osasuna holds the 13th position, accumulating 39 points from their 34 league fixtures this season.

Ernesto Valverde, the former coach of Barcelona, has overseen the development of an impressive Athletic Club team. As they approach the 35th match day of the 2023/24 La Liga season, they find themselves positioned just six points adrift of the top four, with aspirations of clinching a spot in the UEFA Champions League. With only four games remaining in the season, there exists a faint possibility of surpassing Atletico Madrid to secure a coveted top-four finish.

Their recent victory over Getafe in the capital marked a return to winning ways. In a thrilling encounter, Inaki Williams scored twice for the Basque outfit, propelling them to a 2-0 triumph. However, their joy was tempered by the expulsion of both central defenders, Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes, reducing them to nine men.

Having secured a seventh-place finish and qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League in the previous season, coupled with a Copa del Rey final appearance, expectations were high for Jago Arrasate's Osasuna. However, replicating their past success proved to be a formidable challenge. As the current season progresses, they find themselves drifting into the anonymity of mid-table.

Osasuna's recent form has been particularly dismal, exemplified by their defeat to Real Betis at El Sadar in the previous fixture. Ayoze Perez and Pablo Fornals found the net before halftime, securing a 2-0 victory for Betis. This loss marks Osasuna's fourth consecutive defeat in the league, further exacerbating their downward spiral.

Should Athletic emerge victorious against Osasuna, they would narrow the gap to three points behind Atletico Madrid. However, Diego Simeone's squad will face Celta Vigo at home on Sunday afternoon, where they anticipate securing a favorable outcome.

Securing a top-four spot presents a formidable challenge for Valverde's side given their current standing. Nevertheless, they aim to maintain pressure on Atletico, with aspirations for consecutive victories after their recent 2-0 win against Getafe on May 3rd.

Athletic hasn't finished in the top four of La Liga in ten years, but since they've finished eighth in their last two campaigns, a return to the Europa League for the upcoming season would still be considered a success.

It is already accomplished at this point in the season that the Lions have not placed among the top seven since 2016–17.

This season, Valverde's team has performed admirably at home, winning 38 of their 17 games; nevertheless, Osasuna has played comparatively well away from home, taking home 18 points from their 17 games.

Since their promotion back to La Liga in 2018-19, Osasuna has secured finishes of 10th, 11th, 10th, and seventh in four consecutive seasons. Last season marked a notable achievement, matching their best performance since 2006 by finishing seventh. However, their current campaign has seen a decline, sitting in 13th place with 39 points from 34 matches.

Their recent form has been concerning, with four consecutive losses leading up to this game. April saw defeats against Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, Granada, and Real Betis, with only one goal scored throughout these matches. Their last victory dates back to March against Almeria, leaving them eager to end the season on a positive note.

Head coach Jagoba Arrasate, who has been at the helm since 2018, will depart at the end of the season in pursuit of new challenges. His final match in charge will be against Villarreal on May 25, as he looks to conclude his tenure at El Sadar with a strong performance.

In their recent match against Getafe, Athletic encountered a setback with both Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes receiving red cards, thus rendering them unavailable for selection this upcoming weekend due to suspension.

Adding to their woes, five players from the Basque team are grappling with injuries: Gorka Guruzeta, Oihan Sancet, Dani Vivian, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, and Yuri Berchiche, further limiting their options for the impending fixture.

With Yeray, Paredes, and Vivian out of contention, Athletic faces a significant challenge in fortifying their defensive line. As a result, there's speculation that Benat Prados and Imanol Garcia de Albeniz might be called upon to fill the central defensive roles against Osasuna in the forthcoming match.

On the flip side, the visiting team is also dealing with their own set of selection dilemmas. Unai Garcia, Moi Gomez, David Garcia, Ante Budimir, Aimar Oroz, and Kike Barja are all sidelined due to injuries, posing a challenge for Osasuna's squad depth.

Additionally, Osasuna will be without Jon Moncayola on Saturday as he serves a suspension following his red card in the previous match against Real Betis. This absence opens up an opportunity for Lucas Torro to step in as Moncayola's replacement.

Despite these setbacks, Ruben Pena, Raul Garcia, and Ruben Garcia are anticipated to retain their positions in the starting lineup for the impending encounter.