Girona - Osasuna predictions and free betting tips [09/03/2024]

Today as part of the 28th round of Spanish Primera, Girona will host Madrid's Osasuna. The home team, currently second in the league table, has lost three out of their last four games, while the Pamplona side - tenth in the ranking - is finishing the season at their own pace.

Girona

Girona is starting to pay for the phenomenally conducted 9 months of the season. Until recently, the Catalans had only one defeat in the championship – from Real Madrid at home, but now the burgundy-&-white have lost three times in the last four rounds: to the Meringues at Santiago Bernabeu (4:0), Athletic Bilbao at San Mames (3:2) and last weekend to Mallorca (1:0). As a result, the hosts sit second in the standings, trailing the leading Real Madrid by 7 points. This season, "Girona" has been impressive at home, collecting 32 points from 13 home games and achieving 10 wins. In general, a finish in the top four would be an outstanding success for a club that finished 10th, 18th, and 10th in their previous three campaigns.

Tony Villa continues his rehabilitation after cruciate ligament rupture and will miss today's match, as will David Lopez (hamstring strain) and Herrera (injury). The team's manager, Michel, will also be without Artero and Roca, who have rarely seen the field this season. The third-top scorer of the Primera, Artem Dovbyk (14 goals), hasn't scored in 6 consecutive rounds but remains one of the main attacking threats for the hosts along with Brazilian winger Savio (7 goals, 7 assists), experienced Stuani (37 assists, 7 counterattacks) and his compatriot Tsygankov (6 goals, 3 goals in La Liga). It's expected that Daley Blind will return to the centre of defence, and Portu is likely to take a spot on the flank; Ivan Martin will secure the midfield with Aleix Garcia.

Osasuna

The team that finished second in last year's Copa del Rey has regained good form. The Pamplona side has an excellent unbeaten streak of four matches, including three victories – over Real Sociedad in the Basque derby (0:1), Cadiz (2:0) and, last weekend, over Alaves (1:0) – the sole goal was scored by Ante Budimir. Evidently, the garnet-&-blue have fixed their main defensive vulnerabilities – they've let in only one goal in these four games. Thanks to such results, "Los Rojillos" climbed to the 10th spot in the league table, trailing eighth-placed Las Palmas by just one point, and they're only four points behind seventh-placed Real Sociedad. This season, "Osasuna" has achieved decent results on the road, collecting 15 points from 13 matches: four wins, three draws, and six defeats.

Kike Barja (16 matches this season) suffered another injury, leaving the field after 15 minutes of playing against Alaves last weekend, – with a torn cruciate ligament, he joined in the team's injury list alongside experienced Pena. The team's top scorer Ante Budimir caught up with his counterpart Artem Dovbyk in the scorer’s table (14 goals): the Croatian forward has scored 4 goals in the last four games and he's certain to lead the attack on Saturday. It's expected that Unai Garcia will feature in the back four, and Moi Gomez is likely to take advantage of Barja's absence, replacing him in the midfield.

Head-to-Head

Last season at Montilivi, Osasuna seized a point, drawing 1:1, however, "Girona" won 4:2 in the first leg of the current campaign in November.

Match prediction Girona - Osasuna

In recent weeks, "Girona" has taken their foot off the gas and most probably dropped out of the championship race, whereas "Osasuna", on the contrary, has conceded just one goal in the last four rounds and hasn't lost hope of landing a spot in the Eurozone. The hosts have won only once in their last five encounters and are in crisis – isn't that a reason to back the underdog with a +1,5?