Best odds: 27/10
Bookmaker:
Osasuna will seek to recover from their significant loss to Real Madrid prior to the international break as they host Granada in Pamplona on Friday evening.
The host team have faced challenges in maintaining a steady performance in this La Liga season, currently occupying the 12th spot in the standings with 10 points. Meanwhile, Granada are positioned in 19th place, having accumulated just six points in their first nine matches.
Osasuna
Osasuna enjoyed an excellent 2022/23 campaign in domestic competitions, securing a seventh-place finish in La Liga and making it to the Copa del Rey final for only the second time in their history. However, their Europa Conference League journey was cut short as they failed to qualify for the group stage, losing in the playoffs to Club Brugge.
This season, their performances in Spain s top flight have been underwhelming. They ve managed to secure just three wins, one draw, and suffered five defeats in nine matches, accumulating 10 points, which has landed them in 12th place in the table ahead of the next round of fixtures.
Jagoba Arrasate s team started October with a 2-0 victory over Alaves, but they were dealt a harsh blow with a 4-0 loss to Real Madrid before the international break, marking their fifth defeat of the campaign.
Osasuna has been unbeaten in their last three encounters against Granada, clinching two wins in the process. However, they shared the points in a 1-1 draw in the corresponding fixture during the 2021/22 season.
Team News
Osasuna will be missing three key first-team players due to injuries, namely Johan Mojica, Moi Gomez, and Unai Garcia.
In response to the four-goal defeat to Real Madrid, manager Arrasate is likely to implement changes to the starting lineup. This could see Jose Arnaiz, Ezequiel Avila, and Pablo Ibanez as potential candidates for spots in the first eleven.
It s expected that the head coach will resist the urge to alter the defensive line, so his likely to maintain a back four, with David Garcia partnering Alejandro Catena in the centre of the back line.
Granada
Granada have expectedly had a challenging start to the current season in La Liga, with one win, three draws, and five losses in their nine league matches. They ve managed to accumulate a total of six points, placing them in the 19th position in the league standings.
After their successful return to La Liga following Segunda Division victory last season, Granada are focused on establishing themselves in the top flight once more. Although they ve faced difficulties, they ve also shown promise by being undefeated in their last three matches. They secured draws against Real Betis and Almeria and played out a 2-2 draw with Barcelona before the international break, which likely boosted their confidence.
Their lone victory of the campaign occurred at home, where they defeated Mallorca 3-2 at the end of August. However, they ve struggled defensively, conceding 23 goals in their nine matches, giving them the second-worst defensive record in the league, only behind Almeria, who have conceded 24 goals.
On the offensive front, Paco Lopez s team have demonstrated their scoring ability, netting a total of 15 goals. Bryan Zaragoza has been a key contributor, scoring five of those goals and earning himself a debut for the Spanish national team during the recent international break.
Team News
Victor Diaz and Raul Fernandez are still sidelined and unavailable for selection due to knee and finger injuries, respectively.
Fortunately, Granada did not encounter any new injury concerns in their match against Barcelona. Hence, it s quite likely that we will see the same starting XI in the upcoming contest against the champions.
While Zaragoza has been the standout player for the team this season, it s worth noting that Lucas Boye and Myrto Uzuni have each scored three times in the league during the 2023/24 season, and both are expected to be part of the starting lineup.
Conclusion
Granada have become somewhat of a draw specialists, having shared the spoils with their opponents in their last three league matches, and a similar outcome is not unlikely in this game either.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 27/10
Bookmaker:
