Villarreal – Osasuna
20,000 yellow clappers are ready to go when Villarreal welcomes Osasuna to the Estadio de la Cerámica on Saturday – a loud signal of how much is at stake in this battle for European places. The Submarino Amarillo are defending their fifth place in the table (55 points), while Osasuna are lurking ten points behind in eighth. The first leg ended 2-2, and there have almost always been goals in recent encounters between these two sides, but Villarreal have never lost to the northern Spaniards and have scored in every meeting. Marcelino will be without Akhomach and Buchanan, while Yeremy Pino is suspended after picking up a yellow card. Osasuna’s defensive stalwart Catena is also out, which is one reason why visiting coach Vicente Moreno is considering a return to a back four. Two teams in good form, plenty of tactical tinkering and a club that believes in its home strength despite VAR frustration: the stage is set.
Villarreal – Osasuna Info
- Venue: Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal
- Date and time: May 3, 2025, 4:15 p.m.
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 34)
Villarreal form & record check
Villarreal’s 1-0 win over Espanyol followed the recent pattern: solid defense, a single goal, then a nervous finish – and once again a Barry goal disallowed by VAR. In their last five league games, they have two wins, two draws and a bitter 0-3 defeat at Celta. Remarkably, Villarreal did not lead at half-time in any of these games; four times they went into the break on level terms. Despite the fluctuations, the team remains in fifth place with 55 points, but injuries (Akhomach, Buchanan) and Pino’s suspension are gnawing away at their offensive power. Marcelino is demanding more consistency in the final third so as not to throw away the neck-and-neck race with Betis.
Villarreal are likely to start in their familiar 4-4-2 formation: Jörgensen – Foyth, Mandi, Albiol, Pedraza – Baena, Parejo, Comesaña, Reque (or Diatta) – Pépé, Barry. Pino is suspended, Akhomach and Buchanan are out, so the wing-back backups move up a position. Barry remains a fixture in attack despite having twelve goals disallowed in competitive games, while Parejo and Baena are expected to dictate the tempo.
Osasuna form & record check
Osasuna travels to the match on the back of three wins and two draws without defeat, most recently a sober 1-0 win over Sevilla. Moreno’s side has not conceded a goal in the first half of any of its five games and has drawn four times after the break, so it is solid defensively but occasionally toothless in attack (as exemplified by the 0-0 draw in Bilbao). Catena is suspended, but Herrando should fill the gap. Up front, everything hinges on striker Budimir, while returnee Bryan Zaragoza could provide fresh impetus. With 44 points, Osasuna is in eighth place and dreaming of European football for the first time in four years – nevertheless, every point is worth its weight in gold.
Osasuna is once again planning to play with a 5-3-2 formation: Aitor Fernández – Peña, Aridane, Herrando, García, Mojica – Torró, Ibáñez, Oroz – Budimir, Rubén García. Catena is suspended and Moncayola is injured, so Herrando will move into the center. Bryan Zaragoza remains an option for the final stages; Moreno’s well-known flexibility leaves room for minor changes until shortly before kick-off.
H2H Villarreal – Osasuna Head-to-head & statistics
The record from the last five head-to-head matches clearly favors Villarreal (three wins, two draws), but the last two games ended 2-2 and 1-1 – a sign that Osasuna has caught up. Typically, there were fewer than 1.5 goals before the break on four occasions, with the action only heating up after the restart. Villarreal scored at least one goal in all five encounters, while Osasuna lost every second half. So if you’re hoping for goals, history is on your side; there has never been a goalless 0-0 draw between these two sides.
