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

The home team are currently 19th in the table, two points from the safety of 17th position, while Osasuna occupy eighth, three points behind sixth-placed Villarreal.

Match preview

Valencia have not played outside of La Liga since the 1986-87 campaign, but they are facing the real prospect of dropping down to the Segunda Division for the 2023-24 season.

A disastrous campaign has seen Los Che pick up just 23 points from their 24 matches, which has left them down in 19th position in the table, two points from the safety of 17th position.

Ruben Baraja's side managed to pick up a huge three points at home to Real Sociedad in their last match of February, but they could not build on the result, suffering a 1-0 loss to Barcelona last weekend.

It is now six defeats in seven league games for Valencia, and their fixture list is not getting easier, facing Osasuna, Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in their next three games.

The six-time Spanish champions have really struggled on their travels this season, picking up only six points, so they will be pleased to be back at Mestalla for this match, having secured 17 points from their 12 league matches in front of their own supporters in 2022-23.

Osasuna, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Celta on Monday night, with the result moving them onto 34 points from 24 matches.

Los Rojillos are eighth in the table, just three points behind sixth-placed Villarreal, with the team very much in the argument for a top-six finish at this stage of the campaign.

Jagoba Arrasate's side are also chasing success in the Copa del Rey, and they lead Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in their semi-final ahead of the second leg at San Mames at the start of April.

Osasuna have not finished higher than seventh in La Liga since claiming fourth in 2005-06, so it would be some achievement to secure European football for the 2023-24 campaign.

The Pamplona outfit have only actually lost three times on their travels in the league this season, while they recorded a 2-1 victory at Mestalla in La Liga last term.

Valencia La Liga form:

L

L

L

L

W

L

Osasuna La Liga form:

L

D

D

L

W

D

Osasuna form (all competitions):

D

D

L

W

W

D

Team News

Valencia will again be missing a number of players through injury on Saturday, with Gabriel Paulista, Jose Gaya, Marcos Andre, Edinson Cavani, Nico Gonzalez and Jaume Domenech ruled out of the match.

Head coach Baraja would have been pleased with his team's performance at Camp Nou last time out, and it is likely to be close to the same side for this match, although Mouctar Diakhaby could come into the defence.

Samu Castillejo is also an option further forward, although Thierry Correia could play on the right to provide extra support to Dimitri Foulquier in the right-back position.

As for Osasuna, Ruben Garcia and Ruben Pena both missed out against Celta last time out through injury, and the pair remain major doubts for this weekend's contest.

There are no fresh concerns for the visitors, though, so it would not be a surprise to see the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle of the goalless draw.

Ante Budimir should again lead the line with support from Abde Ezzalzouli and Ezequiel Avila in the wide positions, with Moi Gomez operating in a deeper position.

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Diakhaby, Ozkacar, Vazquez; Correia, Moriba, Guillamon, Almeida, Lino; Duro

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Moncayola, Aridane, D Garcia, Sanchez; Oroz, Torro, M Gomez; Avila, Budimir, Ezzalzouli

We say: Valencia 2-2 Osasuna

Osasuna have only lost three of their 12 away league matches this season, drawing six times in the process, and we can see another draw here. Valencia are certainly stronger at home than they are on their travels, but it is difficult to back Los Che to triumph with any real confidence at the moment.

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