Still maintaining a perfect start to the La Liga season, Barcelona hope to retain their vice-like grip on the Spanish top flight standings as they travel to visit Osasuna on Saturday.
The Blaugrana have won seven from seven to start the season in league play, an impressive feat considering their lengthy injury list which has stunted their ability to deploy their strongest lineup. Most recently, they lost goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the season due to a torn patellar tendon.
Yet they’ve remained steadfast, as young superstar Lamine Yamal continues to shine bright. The 17-year-old was electric this summer for Spain at Euro 2024 and has carried over that brilliant form to the start of the 2024/25 season, scoring four goals and assisting five more in just eight matches so far across all competitions.
Barca are far from a one-man team, though, and Robert Lewandowski was the match-winner with a decisive goal to preserve their 100 per cent start in the 1-0 victory over Getafe in midweek.
Osasuna, meanwhile, have been all over the map results-wise so far, sitting seventh in the league table on 11 points. They still have yet to get their best young players into form, but have plenty of the season in which to do just that. A big home match against a European powerhouse is as good a time as any to snatch a key scalp.
Osasuna vs. Barcelona lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
Midfield lynchpin Iker Munoz is out with a broken leg and likely not back until 2025 for Osasuna, so former Real Madrid youth product Lucas Torro is holding down the No. 6 position for now. Osasuna lifer Kike Barja is also out for a few more months with an ACL tear but could be back before the new year.
They are still yet to get young attacking duo Bryan Zaragoza and Aimar Oroz going this season, with the two combining for just one goal and one assist thus far.
Osasuna predicted 11 (4-1-4-1, right to left): Herrera (GK) — Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Bretones — Torro — R. Garcia, Moncayola, Oroz, Zaragoza — Budimir.
Injured: Barja, Munoz
Suspended: None
Barcelona have seemingly had a lengthy injury list for the last year now, and it only got worse as they lost goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to a season-long patella tendon tear, which could be even worse than an ACL tear. U.S. youth international Diego Kochen is expected to be the long-term backup to new starter Inaki Pena, but he is out with his own hamstring injury and will have to wait for his chance.
Barca are also missing Ronald Araujo for a few months due to a hamstring tear suffered in the summer, while Andreas Christensen is down until November with an Achilles injury and both Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo will miss a few more weeks themselves.
Frenkie de Jong and Gavi are both back in training and could return to the fold soon, which would be a big boost to the midfield, but this weekend may be a little too soon.
Ferran Torres could return to the starting lineup after his recent red card suspension. He came off the bench against Getafe in midweek.
Barcelona predicted 11 (4-4-2, right to left): Pena (GK) — Kounde, Cubarsi, I. Martinez, Balde — Lamine Yamal, E. Garcia, Pedri, Raphinha — F. Torres, Lewandowski.
Injured: Ter Stegen, Kochen, Araujo, Christensen, Olmo, De Jong, Gavi, F. Lopez, Bernal
Suspended: None
Osasuna vs. Barcelona live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this La Liga match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
