Osasuna vs Girona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-11-03 13:00.
A lapse in concentration deep into injury time saw mid-table Osasuna suffer a 2-1 loss to Betis last weekend despite an 85th minute equaliser from Rubén García. It was the sixth loss of this La Liga (LL) season already for the club from Navarre, their equal-most inside the first 11 rounds of any of their last six LL seasons.
Consequently, hopes they could build on last season’s seventh place finish are fading fast, and things may not get any easier when high-flying Girona visit this weekend. The home side may draw some confidence from a H2H record of no defeat in five league meetings (W3, D2), but just one win at home in six competitive outings (D1, L4) more recently illustrates the issues Osasuna have faced in front of their home fans this season.
Girona will hope for and can perhaps expect a much easier assignment than the one they faced on Friday night against struggling Celta Vigo. They scored in stoppage time of the second half to seal a 1-0 win – ominous given the manner of Osasuna’s most recent loss – after Celta had a goal controversially ruled out in the 83rd minute. That eventual win extended their dream start to the season to nine wins from their opening 11 LL matches (D1, L1).
Girona finished the last round equal top of the table on points, but it is worth noting nine of their 11 league matches thus far have come against opponents who were ranked tenth or lower heading into this round. With some potentially tougher tests to come, extending their 100% record against those bottom-half teams could afford them valuable breathing space, especially with the news that they could be set to lose captain David Lopez to suspension, following comments he made about the refereeing of his side’s 5-2 win over Almeria.
Players to watch: Osasuna’s Ante Budimir scored in the last game at this venue (2-0 vs Granada) and will have memories of a brace against Girona in June. More might be expected from 19-year-old Girona prodigy Sávio, who has already registered seven goal contributions. It’s a return that can be bettered only by Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham for all U21 players across Europe’s traditional ‘big five’ leagues.
Hot stat: No LL side had scored more goals in the second half than Girona at the end of the last round (12).