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

Sevilla will be looking to end a run of three straight defeats in La Liga when they continue their 2020-21 campaign at home to Osasuna on Saturday evening.

Julen Lopetegui 's side are going well in the Champions League this season but have been disappointing in the league, sitting 16th in the division, while Osasuna currently occupy ninth spot in the table.

Match preview

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Sevilla are on course to reach the knockout round of the Champions League, having picked up seven points from their three group matches against Chelsea, Rennes and Krasnodar.

However, there is no getting away from the fact that the Europa League winners have been poor in the league, collecting just seven points from their opening six matches to sit down in 16th position in the table.

Lopetegui's team made an encouraging start to the 2020-21 campaign but since drawing with Barcelona at the start of October, they have lost three straight league games against Granada, Eibar and Athletic Bilbao.

Sevilla are already seven points off the top four at this stage of the season, and they will be desperate to move closer to the Champions League positions ahead of the November international break.

Los Nervionenses ran out 3-2 winners when they welcomed Osasuna to the Estadio Ramon last season, but the points were shared in the reverse match in Pamplona.

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Osasuna, meanwhile, will enter this weekend's clash off the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Atletico Madrid, with the result leaving them in ninth position in the table.

Jagoba Arrasate 's side have struggled for consistency this term but have picked up 10 points from their seven matches and have been victorious in two of their last four league encounters.

Los Rojillos, who travel to Sevilla and Barcelona in their next two away matches, impressively finished 10th in La Liga last term on their return to this level of football.

Osasuna have shown enough this season to suggest that they are capable of pushing towards the top half once again and can certainly cause Sevilla issues in this match, but the Reds have not actually beaten Saturday's opponents away from home since February 2006.

Sevilla La Liga form: WWDLLL

Sevilla form (all competitions): LDLWLW

Osasuna La Liga form: LLWDWL

Team News

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Sevilla will be without the services of Sergi Gomez, Suso and Oussama Idrissi through injury, but Lopetegui's side did not pick up any fresh issues against Krasnodar in the Champions League.

Marcos Acuna is expected to replace Sergio Escudero in the XI this weekend, while Youssef En-Nesyri scored twice off the bench in Wednesday's European fixture and could now come into the starting side.

Jesus Navas was sent off against Krasnodar but will continue in the team for this match, while Fernando is expected to earn a recall in the middle of the park.

As for Osasuna, Chimy Avila, Darko Brasanac, Brandon, Jonathan Calleri and Aridane Hernandez are all still on the treatment table and will therefore not be involved.

Summer signing Ante Budimir is expected to be handed a spot in the final third of the field, and there could be a change of formation with an extra midfielder potentially being introduced.

Roberto Torres is also pushing to start after being involved off the bench against Atletico, but Ruben Garcia should keep his spot in the side, with Enric Gallego and Adrian Lopez potentially the players to drop out.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna; Jordan, Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, De Jong, En-Nesyri

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; Roncaglia, D Garcia, U Garcia, Perez; Oier, Moncayola; Torres, R Garcia, Jony ; Budimir

We say: Sevilla 2-1 Osasuna

Sevilla have won their last seven home league matches against Osasuna, who have not triumphed at the Estadio Ramon since February 2006. Lopetegui's side will be determined to end a poor run of form in Spain's top flight, and we fancy the Europa League winners to collect all three points on Saturday.

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