Osasuna vs Villarreal
Osasuna are trying to make a run at European football after barely missing out last season with their ninth-place finish. They’re still ninth in the La Liga standings with 25 points (level with 10th-seeded Girona), but at least now they still have enough time to secure their spot with 17 matchdays remaining.
Alessio Lisci’s men have built some momentum by winning back-to-back games against Oviedo and Rayo Vallecano, and they’re keen to make it three straight when they host Villarreal at the El Sadar Stadium on Saturday.
Villarreal are holding on to their fourth spot, and they’re keen to return to winning ways as soon as possible. They have a seven-point cushion over fifth-seeded Espanyol, but they cannot let their guard down this weekend. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side is winless in their last four games across all competitions.
This is undoubtedly a huge match for these two sides, so read today’s SBOTOP preview to learn more about these two clubs.
Talking Points
Osasuna could have their key starter back
After bowing out of the Copa del Rey Round of 16, Osasuna returned to winning ways with a 3-2 win over Oviedo, but it came at a high cost. Ante Budimir (brace) and Victor Munoz were on the scoresheet, while Federico Vinas and Alberto Reina scored for Oviedo. However, Osasuna saw one of their key defenders, Alejandro Catena, receive a straight red card in stoppage time for his reckless challenge of Luka Ilic during a loose ball.
The 31-year-old centre-back has yet to miss a match when he’s available under head coach Alessio Lisci this term. Catena served his suspension in Los Rojillos’ 3-1 win against Osasuna, as Budimir and Asier Osambela found the back of the net, and Jozhua Vertouwd’s late own goal.
Catena could be available again this Saturday against Villarreal, and he’ll likely rejoin Jorge Herrando, Javi Galan, and Valentin Rosier in the back four to cover goalie Sergio Herrera.
On the other side of the pitch, Ante Budimir remains the team’s biggest threat in the final third. The 34-year-old striker already has nine goals this term, which has him joint-fourth in the Pichichi race behind only Kylian Mbappe (21), Vedat Muriqi (14), and Ferran Torres (11).
Villarreal lose one of their defensive pillars
Speaking of defenders, Villarreal have lost one of theirs for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign, as it was announced that Juan Foyth sustained an Achilles tendon rupture in his left leg during their 2-0 loss against Real Madrid in the first half. This also means Foyth won’t get to play for Argentina in the upcoming World Cup.
Foyth’s absence was keenly felt during Villarreal’s 3-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in their final Champions League game yesterday, with Rafa Marin replacing him in the starting XI. Because they’re already eliminated from the European tournament, the Yellow Submarine will turn their full focus to La Liga.
History
Villarreal won 2-1 in the reverse fixture at the Estadi de la Ceramica last September, as Georges Mikautadze and Pape Gueye helped the Yellow Submarine rally from a one-goal deficit created by Ante Budimir before halftime. It also helped Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side that Valentin Rosier was sent off early. At the time, the Yellow Submarine were seven league games undefeated at home.
Overall, Villarreal are unbeaten against Osasuna in their last seven La Liga matchups (W5, D2). The previous time Osasuna won this fixture was a 1-0 result at El Sadar in March 2022.
In terms of recent form in the league, Osasuna have the slight edge with three wins, one draw, and one loss in their last five, whereas Villarreal have two wins and three losses in the same period.
Betting Tip
The La Liga 2026 odds predict a tight contest between Osasuna and Villarreal this Saturday. Because they’re higher up in the table, Villarreal have the slight edge at 2.34, even if they’re on a winless run. Osasuna aren’t far behind at 2.72, and a draw is at 3.25 in the 1X2 market.
This could be closer than expected, so it’s hard to choose a winner. However, we’re sure that fans at El Sadar will get their fair share of La Liga 2026 highlights this weekend. Besides our recommended bet, punters can also add Over 2.50 at 1.83, Over 3.00 at 2.38, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 3.11 to the parlay. On the other hand, a Correct Score of 2-1 in favour of Villarreal – the result of the reverse fixture – has a decent offer of 9.00 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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