Osasuna vs Levante
Estadio El Sadar, Irunea
Friday, 24-01-2020 @11pm
Ref: Ceaser Soto
Six solid favourites failed to win on a weekend of turn-ups in La Liga on Matchday 20, including both Osasuna and Levante who kick-off the Matchday 21 action in Pamplona this Friday.
Osasuna had been scoring freely in front of their own supporters with 14 goals netted in their last six home matches, but Los Rojillos were held to a dull goalless draw at Estadio El Sadar against a Valladolid side who were without a league win in seven.
And Levante suffered a similarly disappointing result at home to struggling Alaves, who travelled to Ciutat de Valencia having lost seven from nine on the road this term. Paco Lopez’ men were unsurprisingly fancied to land the spoils after winning three of their last four home games; however, they were turned over 0-1 by Babazorros despite dominating large parts of the contest.
Levante’s woes continued in midweek as they lost 3-1 at Sevilla in the Copa Del Rey, and it’s easy to see why they are 3/1 underdogs for this Friday’s encounter in Pamplona. Granotas have won three and lost seven of their ten away La Liga games this term, and they take on an Osasuna side that have lost just twice in ten league matches at El Sadar.
Nonetheless, Osasuna goes into this Friday’s fixture having won just one of their last eight in La Liga (W1, D4 and L3) and they are now without a win in four at El Sadar (D2, L2), following last week’s aforementioned stalemate against Valladolid.
Jagoba Arrasate’s side defeated Segunda outfit Huesca 2-3 AET in midweek to secure their place in the Last 16 of the Copa Del Rey, but their recent lack of league victories means they are poor value at a shade of odds-on to triumph on Matchday 21.
Osasuna have proven themselves to be extremely tough to beat though in their first season back in the top flight, losing just five of their 20 starts so far. Los Rojillos have drawn half of their league matches, including September’s reverse fixture between these two sides at Ciutat de Valencia (1-1).
Both teams have scored in six of Osasuna’s last seven home matches in La Liga. Seven of Levante’s last nine league outings on the road have seen both sides hit the net. The sides played out a closely fought 1-1 draw in September’s reverse fixture at Cuitat de Valencia – one of ten stalemates involving Osasuna in 20 La Liga games this season.
The upcoming La Liga games
Saturday, 25-01-2020
-Espanyol vs Athletic Bilbao @3pm
-Valencia vs Barcelona @6pm
-Deportivo Alaves vs Villarreal @8:30pm
-Sevilla vs Granada @11pm
Sunday, 26-01-2020
-Atletico Madrid vs Leganes @2pm
-Celta Vigo vs Eibar @4pm
-Getafe vs Real Betis @6pm
-Real Sociedad vs Mallorca @8:30pm
-Real Valladolid vs Real Madrid @11pm
