La Liga is back in full swing after the March international break, and FC Barcelona is gearing up to face Osasuna in a crucial match on Thursday, March 27. Despite both teams’ initial objections, the Spanish league authorities have decided to go ahead with the match, much to the dismay of the players and coaching staff.
In a pre-match press conference, Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick expressed his disappointment at the decision, but emphasized that his team will not use it as an excuse. „We have to accept it, and that’s it. We can’t change it, so we’ll play and not look for excuses,” he said.
The Catalan giants will not be at full strength, however, with Ronald Araujo and Raphinha set to miss the match due to their late return from international duty. Meanwhile, Pau Torre, who picked up an injury while playing for the Spanish national team, will start on the bench.
There were concerns about Robert Lewandowski’s fitness after he played with an injury in Poland’s 1-0 win over Lithuania, but Flick has given the green light for the striker to start the match. „Robert is ready to play. We’ll decide tomorrow morning if he’ll start from the beginning. He’s feeling good, and that’s good news for us. Ferran Torres is also fit and in form,” the coach revealed.
Spanish media outlets AS and Marca have predicted the starting lineup, with Wojciech Szczęsny set to start in goal, supported by a back four of Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Inigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde. The attacking trio is likely to consist of Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal.
The midfield is where the most uncertainty lies, with Pedri and Gavi expected to start, but the third spot up for grabs. AS predicts Frenkie De Jong will fill the role, while Marca believes Fermin Lopez will get the nod. Sport, a Catalan newspaper, is also backing De Jong to start.
The match promises to be an intense and thrilling encounter, with both teams fighting for crucial points in the La Liga standings. Will Barcelona come out on top, or can Osasuna pull off an upset? Catch the live text commentary on Sport.pl and the Sport.pl LIVE mobile app from 21:00 CET.
Key Statistics:
* FC Barcelona has won 14 out of their last 16 La Liga matches against Osasuna.
* Robert Lewandowski has scored 12 goals in his last 10 matches for Barcelona.
* Wojciech Szczęsny has kept 5 clean sheets in his last 7 matches for Barcelona.
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