Osasuna brought an end to the impressive start that FC Barcelona had been making at the start of this season in La Liga. With a 4-2 thrashing in their visit to the Navarrese team, the German coach Hansi Flick knew defeat in the Spanish championship.
After seven consecutive victories, the La Liga leaders missed their captain and goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, who will miss the entire season due to a knee injury sustained last week. The Catalans were widely outplayed by an Osasuna side that managed to control the Barca attacking power.
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The team led by the German coach, who had demonstrated a fearsome punch by scoring 23 goals in the first seven games, this time found themselves up against a well-positioned defense that, although it allowed a couple of goals to the Catalans, managed to neutralize them for a good part of the match.
FC Barcelona finished with 12 shots, the lowest figure for the Catalans so far this season in La Liga. At the same time, they completed a total of 673 passes during the 90 minutes, the highest amount so far this campaign, which shows that they struggled to get into the opposition’s box with any danger.
Additionally, they came up against a very effective team led by Croatian striker Ante Budimir, who with a double showed Osasuna the path to victory, which has gone three consecutive games without losing in this championship, finally getting into the fight for European spots.
Budimir’s first goal came in the 18th minute to open the scoring at El Sadar. The Balkan player headed in a great cross from the left launched by Bryan Zaragoza, who found his teammate in the six-yard box and after winning the position of the Barça defender, he was able to beat goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
Ten minutes later, Bryan Zaragoza caused pain for FC Barcelona again, this time making it 2-0 after a great dribble in front of the Barca goalkeeper, finishing off a play that began with a long pass sent to him by Pablo Ibanez.
In the second half, things seemed to be turning around for FC Barcelona, who managed to score in the 53rd minute through Pau Victor. However, that reaction did not materialize and Osasuna finished off the Catalan side.
Budimir (m.72), but this time from a penalty, and Abel Bretones (m.85) completed the Navarre rout at home against a Barca team that at the end of the match reduced the deficit again with a goal from Lamine Yamal (m.89) that did not serve much more than to improve the result.
The home side’s high pressure overwhelmed Flick’s men, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha on the bench. Areso gave a warning before Budimir headed Bryan’s cross into the net. Ten minutes later, the assistant finished off a quick transition with great skill, kicking the ball in front of Inaki Pena.
A painful defeat that still places the ‘cules’ as leaders in the general standings but that shortens the distance between their eternal rival, Real Madrid, who if they win their duel this day, tomorrow they will be just one point behind Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona.
Despite this setback, FC Barcelona will remain at the top of the La Liga table regardless of what happens in the Madrid derby between Real and Atlético. A victory for the Merengues would bring the current champion of the Spanish league to within just one point of first place in the table.
