Barcelona stunned by Osasuna in 4-2 defeat

Barcelona suffered a significant setback in their La Liga campaign on Saturday evening, falling 4-2 to Osasuna. After winning seven consecutive league matches, this defeat marks Barcelona’s first points loss of the season and a painful blow to their early dominance.

Osasuna strikes early

Osasuna came out strong and took the lead in the 18th minute through Ante Budimir, who headed in a well-placed cross. Just 10 minutes later, Bryan Zaragoza added a second goal, putting Barcelona in an unexpected 2-0 deficit. Despite Barcelona’s attempts to regroup, Osasuna’s defense remained resilient, frustrating Hansi Flick’s side throughout the first half.

Barcelona’s struggle to respond

Barcelona returned to the field in the second half with more urgency. In the 53rd minute, they found a lifeline when Pau Víctor capitalized on a significant error from Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera to bring the score to 2-1. It seemed like Barcelona might be able to mount a comeback, but their momentum was short-lived. Osasuna regained control of the game in the 72nd minute after a penalty was awarded for a foul by Sergi Domínguez on Budimir. The Croatian striker coolly converted the spot-kick, restoring Osasuna’s two-goal cushion and making it 3-1.

Osasuna seals the win

In the closing stages of the game, Osasuna struck again, with Abel Bretones adding a fourth goal to all but seal Barcelona’s fate. Lamine Yamal, who was introduced as a second-half substitute along with Raphinha, managed to pull one goal back for Barcelona, but it was too little, too late. The final score ended 4-2 in favor of Osasuna, a result that shocked Barcelona’s supporters.

Key absences and fixture congestion

Barcelona was missing several key players due to injuries, including Frenkie de Jong, Marc-André ter Stegen, Ronald Araújo, Gavi, and Dani Olmo. With a congested fixture schedule, coach Hansi Flick also opted to rest Lamine Yamal and Raphinha for most of the match, likely with Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Young Boys in mind.

Real Madrid can the gap

Despite the loss, Barcelona remains four points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table. However, with Real Madrid set to face Atlético Madrid on Sunday, the gap at the top could quickly narrow. Barcelona will need to bounce back quickly as the Champions League and a tough domestic schedule loom ahead.