Preview: Sevilla vs. Osasuna - prediction, team news, lineups

A difficult campaign has left the Europa League holders down in 17th position in the table, just one point ahead of the bottom three, while Osasuna sit 11th, boasting 25 points from 20 matches.

Match preview

Relegation for Sevilla this season would be one of the biggest stories in Spanish football for some time, and that is a distinct possibility due to the team's struggles, which are showing no signs of ending.

Los Nervionenses finished 12th in Spain's top flight last season, which proved to be their worst final spot since being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 campaign, but they managed to win the Europa League.

This season, there will be no European success, with the team finishing bottom of their Champions League group, while they were knocked out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday evening courtesy of a 1-0 loss at Atletico Madrid, so the league is now their only focus.

Quique Sanchez Flores's side were thumped 5-1 by Girona in La Liga last time out, which made it four straight defeats in Spain's top flight, with their last success coming in the middle of December.

Sevilla's home form has often been so strong in recent years, but they have struggled at Estadio Ramon this season, only picking up 10 points from 11 matches, recording just two wins in the process.

Osasuna, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 3-2 success over Getafe, with the team managing to bounce back from successive losses to Barcelona and Real Sociedad.

Jesus Areso scored the game's decisive goal against Getafe in the 80th minute last time out, with the result moving Jagoba Arrasate's side onto 25 points from 20 matches this season, which has left them in 11th position in the table.

Los Rojillos are only one point behind 10th-placed Getafe and will certainly be eyeing a top-half finish this term, having improved after a poor start to the campaign.

Osasuna have managed to win three of their nine away league matches this season, but they have conceded 17 times on their travels.

Los Rojillos can also take confidence from their recent record against Sevilla, winning two of their last three meetings in Spain's top flight, including a 3-2 success in the corresponding match at Estadio Ramon during the 2022-23 campaign.

Sevilla La Liga form:

L

W

L

L

L

L

Sevilla form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

L

L

Osasuna La Liga form:

D

D

W

L

W

W

Osasuna form (all competitions):

L

W

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L

W

Team News

Sevilla's injury list has certainly eased, and the only three players definitely out of this match at this stage due to fitness problems are Kike Salas, Nemanja Gudelj and Dodi Lukebakio.

The home side remain without their main centre-forward, though, with Youssef En-Nesyri representing Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Due to the positive nature of the performance against Atletico in the Copa del Rey last time out, it would not be a surprise to see the same outfield players for this match, with the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Juanlu Sanchez and Rafa Mir likely to have to accept spots on the bench.

As for Osasuna, Ezequiel Avila remains a doubt due to a muscular problem, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape in terms of their squad.

Head coach Arrasate is expected to keep faith with the majority of the side that started against Getafe last time out, meaning that Raul Garcia should continue in the final third of the field.

There could be an alteration in the middle of midfield, though, with Aimar Oroz pushing to be involved, which could lead to Moi Gomez dropping down to the bench.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Dmitrovic; Nianzou, Ramos, Marcao; Navas, Sow, Soumare, Torres, Pedrosa; Ocampos, Romero

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; D Garcia, Catena, Cruz; Pena, Ibanez, Munoz, Oroz, Mojica; Raul Garcia, Budimir

We say: Sevilla 1-1 Osasuna

Sevilla are a very difficult team to back, having only managed three league wins all season. Osasuna have been victorious on seven occasions in Spain's top flight this term, but they have also been beaten nine times, and we are expecting a close match on Sunday to end with the points being shared.

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