Preview

Mar

2025

Preview: Barcelona looking to stay on top vs. Osasuna

Barcelona are in good form and can stretch their advantage at the top of LaLiga with Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid not playing until Sunday.

By Graham Ruthven

Frontrunners

The pendulum in the Spanish title race has swung back and forth over the course of the season, but Barcelona find themselves back on top of LaLiga.

Hansi Flick’s team are on an unbeaten run of 16 games in all competitions and enter Saturday’s match against Osasuna on the back of a comprehensive 4-0 win over Real Sociedad last weekend followed by a 1-0 away win against Benfica in the Champions League.

With Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid not playing until Sunday, Barca have the opportunity to open up a four-point gap at the top of the standings. This is a chance for them to assert their position as title frontrunners.

Osasuna, meanwhile, need points to push into the top half of the table. Vicente Moreno’s team have won just one of their last 14 league fixtures. A shock win over Barcelona would change the mood around the club.

Key players

Barca’s attack is the most dangerous, and prolific, in LaLiga. No team has scored more goals than the Catalans this season with Robert Lewandowski their best finisher having netted 21 league goals.

Raphinha is also enjoying the season of his life having contributed 20 goal involvements in LaLiga. The Brazilian is fresh from scoring the winner against Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Lamine Yamal is Barcelona’s creator-in-chief and will be the brightest spark in the attacking third for Barca at home to Osasuna this weekend. In central midfield, Pedri is also performing at the peak of his powers.

Only Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé have scored more goals in La Liga this season than Ante Budimir who has found the back of the net 14 times for Osasuna. If the visitors can get him in behind Barca’s high line, he will pose a threat.

Bryan Zaragoza has struggled for his best form this season, but the on-loan Bayern Munich winger is capable of producing something out of nothing. Barca must be wary of the threat he poses.

Team news

Flick could rotate his squad with next week’s Champions League last 16 second leg against Benfica in mind. However, Barcelona have been made to pay for over-rotating once or twice earlier in the season.

Pau Cubarsí was sent off against Benfica mid-week, but his suspension only applies to the Champions League and so will be available to face Osasuna. He is expected to start in central defence.

Andreas Christensen is fit again, but it might be too soon for the Dane to make the lineup. Gavi could also be available again, although Marc-André Ter Stegen and Marc Bernal will miss out.

Aimar Oroz is a doubt for Osasuna after picking up an injury in last weekend’s 3-3 draw against Valencia while Juan Cruz could come into the lineup to replace Abel Bretones.

Prediction

Barcelona should continue their good form and get the points they want to stay in front in LaLiga: Barcelona 3-1 Osasuna

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2025

Preview: Forest meet Man City in top four battle

One team strong all season and looking to confirm a Champions League place, one team underperforming, looking short of direction and in need of something of a summer overhaul. Rewind the clock six months and not many would have guessed which of these two teams applied to each.

By Karl Matchett

It’s hard not to be super impressed with what Nottingham Forest have achieved this season. Nuno Espírito Santo has a couple of tactical variations, and the team plays well in both. They’re middle of the road when it comes to scoring goals, but have a clinical, in-form striker playing better than he ever has before. They’re top four defensively, and top three in points terms.

Nuno’s miracle makers

There might only be one place and one point separating themselves and Saturday opponents Manchester City, but there is a gulf between the relative expectations and reality that the clubs have achieved this season. Only last term, Forest were battling relegation, a points deduction and financial uncertainty due to PSR. They had spent two years scattergun buying players, had parted ways with the manager who brought them up and seemed to have plenty of potential, but a lack of consistency.

That’s all changed, with Nuno overcoming a stuttering start to enjoy a brilliant middle third of the season at the City Ground. Now it’s about seeing the job through and the real gap which matters to the Reds is the one down to sixth – currently a buffer of four points. Even if Man City go on to overtake them, staying ahead of one of Chelsea or Newcastle should yield a Champions League place next year.

As for City themselves, there’s nothing left to play for beyond an FA Cup and ensuring they are in the top competition themselves in 2025/26. That isn’t a certainty, even if they should have the firepower to beat enough middling teams in the last 11 matches to stay ahead of two of the aforementioned sides themselves.

Recent form

Forest have only won one of their last four, and that was both in the cup and on penalties. Don’t make the mistake of translating that to poor performances though; they were very good in the second half against Newcastle and lost because of a dismal first 45 minutes defensively, before holding Arsenal to a draw with a typically resilient showing. On home soil, they’re unbeaten since 10 November. Man City have won four and lost four of their last eight. Obviously they are good enough to beat teams, but equally they are fragile enough to keep suffering setbacks when the going gets tough.

Team news

No key players are missing for Forest, while City remain without Rodri, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and now Nathan Aké.