Sevilla’s battle to avoid relegation in Spain’s top division will continue on Sunday evening when they host Osasuna at Estadio Ramon.
A challenging season has left the Europa League champions in 17th place in the table, just one point above the relegation zone. On the other hand, Osasuna sits comfortably in 11th place, with 25 points from 20 matches.
Match preview
Sevilla’s potential relegation this season would be a major story in Spanish football, given their struggles that show no signs of ending.
Last season, Los Nervionenses finished 12th in La Liga, their worst position since being relegated in the 1999-2000 campaign. However, they managed to win the Europa League.
This season, without any European success, Sevilla’s focus is solely on the league after finishing bottom of their Champions League group and getting knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Atletico Madrid.
In their last La Liga match, Sevilla suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Girona, making it four straight losses. Their last victory came in mid-December.
Sevilla’s home form has been inconsistent this season, earning only 10 points from 11 matches at Estadio Ramon and securing just two wins.
On the other hand, Osasuna comes into this match following a 3-2 victory over Getafe, bouncing back from consecutive defeats against Barcelona and Real Sociedad.
In their last outing, Jesus Areso scored the winning goal for Osasuna in the 80th minute, taking them to 25 points from 20 matches and occupying the 11th spot in the table.
Osasuna, trailing Getafe by just one point, aims to secure a top-half finish after improving from a slow start to the campaign.
Although Osasuna has won three of their nine away league matches this season, they have conceded 17 goals on their travels.
Moreover, Osasuna has a good recent record against Sevilla, winning two of their last three meetings in La Liga, including a 3-2 victory at Estadio Ramon in the 2022-23 season.
Team News
Sevilla’s injury list has decreased, and the only confirmed absentees for this match are Kike Salas, Nemanja Gudelj, and Dodi Lukebakio due to fitness issues.
Youssef En-Nesyri, Sevilla’s main center-forward, is unavailable as he represents Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Considering their positive performance against Atletico in the Copa del Rey, we can expect the same outfield players for this match. Players like Ivan Rakitic, Juanlu Sanchez, and Rafa Mir might have to settle for spots on the bench.
As for Osasuna, Ezequiel Avila remains doubtful due to a muscle problem, but the rest of the squad is in good shape.
Head coach Arrasate is likely to stick with the majority of the team that started against Getafe, with Raul Garcia leading the attack.
There might be a change in midfield, with Aimar Oroz pushing for involvement, which could see Moi Gomez dropped to the bench.
Possible starting lineups
Sevilla: (3-5-2)
Dmitrovic;
Nianzou, Ramos, Marcao;
Navas, Sow, Soumare, Torres, Pedrosa;
Ocampos, Romero
Osasuna: (3-5-2)
Herrera;
D Garcia, Catena, Cruz;
Pena, Ibanez, Munoz, Oroz, Mojica;
Raul Garcia, Budimir
Prediction: Sevilla 1-1 Osasuna
Sevilla’s inconsistent form and limited number of league wins make them a difficult team to support.
Meanwhile, Osasuna has secured seven victories this season but also suffered nine defeats. We expect a closely contested match on Sunday, with the points ultimately being shared.
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