Real Betis will be bidding to strengthen their grip on a European position in the La Liga table when they head to Estadio El Sadar on Sunday afternoon to tackle Osasuna.
The visitors are seventh in the division, two points ahead of eighth-placed Valencia, while Osasuna sit 11th, 10 points behind their opponents in Spain's top flight this weekend.
Match preview
© Reuters
Osasuna finished seventh in La Liga last season, in addition to making the Copa del Rey final, but they have not managed to reach those heights this term, currently sitting down in 11th position.
Los Rojillos have secured a fifth straight campaign at this level of football, though, and they can still claim a top-half position, sitting four points behind 10th-placed Getafe in the table.
Osasuna, who have won 11, drawn six and lost 16 of their 33 league matches this season, will enter the clash with Real Betis off the back of three straight defeats to Valencia, Rayo Vallecano and Granada.
The team's last success was a 3-0 victory at Almeria on March 30, but they have been beaten in five of their last six matches at this level, and there are some tough games to come before the end of the season, tackling Athletic Bilbao, Mallorca, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.
There will be a big change at Osasuna this summer, with their head coach Jagoba Arrasate preparing to step down in search of a new challenge, and it will be fascinating to see who replaces him at the end of the season.
© Reuters
Real Betis made it seven points from their last three league games last weekend when they drew 1-1 with Sevilla in the Seville derby; Isco sent Manuel Pellegrini's side ahead in the 38th minute from the penalty spot, before Kike Salas levelled the scores early in the second period.
The Green and Whites are currently seventh in the table, which would see them qualify for the Conference League playoff round, but they are only two points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad, with that spot meaning qualification for the group stage of the Europa League.
Real Betis have pressure from both Valencia and Villarreal, though, and Getafe are also not out of the equation when it comes to seventh spot, so they cannot afford to end the season poorly.
Pellegrini's side finished sixth last season, and it has been another solid campaign for the club, but too many draws (12) have cost them a spot higher up the division.
Real Betis will be bidding to make it a league double over Osasuna, having recorded a 2-1 victory in the reverse match earlier this season, but their hosts were 3-2 winners in the corresponding fixture last term.
Team News
© Reuters
Osasuna have four players on the sidelines due to injury problems, with David Garcia, Ante Budimir, Aimar Oroz and Kike Barja unavailable for selection.
The home side did not pick up any fresh issues against Granada, but it is expected that head coach Arrasate will make changes due to the disappointment of the performance.
Pablo Ibanez, Lucas Torro and Jose Arnaiz are all likely to earn starts on Sunday, while there could also be a change at left-back, with Juan Cruz bidding to come into the XI.
Real Betis will be without the services of Isco through suspension, with the attacker picking up a milestone yellow card in the Seville derby last time out.
Cedric Bakambu is also out with the issue which forced him off early in the second period against Sevilla, while Hector Bellerin, Ezequiel Avila and Marc Bartra remain on the sidelines due to injury problems.
Willian Jose is expected to come into the side as the centre-forward due to Bakambu's injury, while Nabil Fekir is likely to be the player to benefit from Isco's absence this weekend.
Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Areso, Catena, Herrando, Cruz; Ibanez, Torro, M Gomez; Ruben Garcia, Arnaiz, Pena
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Silva; Sabaly, Pezzella, Riad, Miranda; Rodriguez, Cardoso; Fornals, Fekir, Perez; Willian Jose
We say: Osasuna 1-2 Real Betis
Real Betis have only won four of their 16 away league matches this season, but Osasuna are in a very poor run of form, and we are backing the hosts to suffer their 17th league defeat of the campaign on Sunday, with Real Betis boosting their European hopes in the process.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
