Osasuna vs Sevilla prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-08-11 19:00.
The curtain rises on another La Liga (LL) season in Pamplona as mid-table stalwarts Osasuna welcome potential top-four candidates Sevilla. Under the stewardship of LL’s second-longest serving manager Jagoba Arrasate, Osasuna have recorded three consecutive 10th or 11th placed finishes in the top-flight since earning promotion back in 2018/19.
While Osasuna are now undeniably a solid top-flight side, Arrasate has it all to do in order to end his winless record after nine personal clashes with Sevilla (D3, L6), which includes a current barren run of 376 minutes without scoring! Possibly compounding matters for Osasuna further is the fact that only Cádiz picked up fewer home points than them last term, while they were just one of three sides to pick up more points on the road than at home.
It has been a summer of change at Sevilla as last season’s fourth-placed finishers have brought in upwards of €85m after the sale of several star players including Joules Koundé, Diego Carlos and Luuk de Jong. Question marks surround the club at the minute, with little of that money reinvested, though the addition of three-time Spanish champion Isco shows some intent to maintain their presence in the UEFA Champions League places this season.
Even with squad changes, Sevilla may well have enough to get off to a positive start in El Sadar. Julen Lopetegui’s men recorded a league-high 97% unbeaten rate when chalked up as the bookmakers’ favourite last term (W15, D13, L1), and that’s not to mention that Sevilla are unbeaten in their last 12 opening away league games (W7, D5) including a current five-game winning run in such encounters.
Players to watch: Osasuna’s new wingman Moi GĂłmez has been booked a career-high four times against Sevilla across his 12 appearances against them (G1, A1). As for Sevilla, Isco has never lost in 12 top flight H2Hs with Osasuna (W6, D6 – G3, A4).
Hot streak: Osasuna failed to win each of their last six opening home games when playing in the top flight (D2, L4), failing to score in three of the previous four.