Can Barça continue their fairytale league start of the season or will Los Rojillos finally end their winning run?
By Filip Mishov
It is fair to say that Barcelona are one of the clubs playing the most entertaining football at the start of the season alongside Bayern München, with whom they are the only sides with a perfect league record in the top five leagues. Hansi Flick‘s squad has noted seven wins on the bounce in LaLiga and the energetic pressing machinery has already earned a four-point lead ahead of their arch-rivals from Madrid at the top of the standings, but another challenge is upon them, when they visit Osasuna’s El Sadar in Pamplona on Saturday. Unlike Blaugrana, Los Rojillos’ hot and cold form leaves them mid-table, but Vicente Moreno‘s squad is still undefeated at El Sadar this season with three wins and one draw on their account. However, if history is anything to go by, Osasuna’s home record will be severely tested as Barça are unbeaten in Pamplona since 2012 and they have secured five wins and three draws over that period.
The out-of-this-world wonderkid, Yamal and the free-scoring, Lewandowski may be stealing the headlines for their impressive start of the season, but the rejuvenated Raphinha deserves the same praise for his performances, to say the least. The pacey Brazilian did not always see an eye to eye with Xavi’s decisions last season and the 27-year-old could have easily left Barça over the summer, but Flick helped Raphinha restore his confidence, and the German coach is reaping the rewards now, who even gave the captain’s armband to the winger following the injury of Marc-André ter Stegen. Additionally, Jules Koundé and Raphinha are the only players that have played each and every minute in all competitions for Barcelona this season, becoming undisputed in Flick’s starting XI.
Blaugrana’s fruitful attack is flourishing at the moment with 23 goals scored (the most in LaLiga), but their issues lay at the other side of the pitch as the captain, Ter Stegen joined Marc Bernal on the sidelines as a long-term absentee after the goalkeeper ruptured the patella tendon in his knee and both of them are expected to miss the rest of the season. The vice-captain – Araujo, Christensen, de Jong, Gavi, López and Olmo are still absent and are not expected to return until after the international break at the earliest, which should spring Flick into making changes and for Pedri to return to the starting XI ahead of the match vs. Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. On the other side, Osasuna are desperately waiting for Bayern München’s loanee, Bryan Zaragoza to rediscover his magic and for last season’s top scorer – Ante Budimir to recapture his goalscoring instinct as the Basque-based club is struggling for goals and no player has scored more than a single goal for Los Rojillos this season.
With Barça eager to continue their perfect start in LaLiga and Osasuna’s undefeated home record on the line, an interesting clash awaits us in Pamplona on Saturday as Yamal & co. are striving for more victories, while El Sadar’s fortress will fiercely battle to remain unconquered.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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