Match Pack: CA Osasuna vs Athletic Club (LaLiga MD2)

Athletic Club head to El Sadar for our first away day of the 2023/24 EA Sports LaLiga campaign. The Zurigorri will take on fellow Basque side CA Osasuna in Pamplona.

After falling to an opening day defeat against Real Madrid in Bilbao, Los Leones will be looking to get back on track against Jagoba Arrasate's Rojillos, who started their season with a 0-2 away victory against Celta Vigo.

Match Info
CA Osasuna vs Athletic Club

El Sadar, Pamplona

LaLiga EA Sports 23/24 (Matchday 2)

Saturday August 19, 21:30 CEST

How to Watch
A list of kick-off times around the world for Saturday's match in Pamplona

Team News
Valverde has called up 23 players for the trip to Pamplona.

Young defender Unai Egiluz makes his first senior squad. Jon Morcillo misses out, while Dani García, Yeray Alvaréz, Yuri Berchiche and Peru Nolaskoain are sidelined with injuries.

Valverde's Comments
Catch up with what the gaffer had to say ahead of Saturday's clash.

The Opponents

Head coach: Jagoba Arrasate

The Basque coach has established Osasuna as a top-flight force in his five seasons in the job. He took over at El Sadar in June 2018, leading Los Rojillos back to LaLiga as second division champions in his first campaign in charge.

Last season Arrasate took them back into Europe with a 7th placed finish in the table, the first time Osasuna have qualified for a continental competition since 2005/06. On top of that, Los Rojillos also reached the final of last season's Copa del Rey, losing 1-2 to Real Madrid at the final hurdle.

Summer transfers:

Arrasate has brought in four new faces over the pre-season break. Left-back Johan Mojica comes in on loan from Villarreal CF, centre-back Alejandro Catena and forward José Arnaiz arrive on a free transfers from Rayo Vallecano and CD Leganés, respectively, while young centre-forward Raúl García has been purchased from Real Betis.

At same time, two players have left Osasuna permanently, with striker Kike García now at recently-promoted Alavés and 34-year-old centre-back Aridane Hernández heading to Rayo Vallecano.

Recent form: WLLWW

Los Rojillos kicked off their 2023/24 LaLiga EA Sports campaign with a 0-2 win over Celta Vigo at Balaidos - Rubén García and Moi Gómez getting the goals.

Their pre-season form was quite strong, with the Pamplona-based side registering four wins (1-0 vs Osasuna, 3-1 vs Real Sociedad, 1-0 vs Bordeaux, 2-1 vs Burgos) and two losses (2-1 vs Toulouse, 3-2 vs Alavés).

Previous Meetings
There have been a total of 84 top-flights matches since our first clash in 1935/36. In that time, Athletic have registered 41 wins, 23 draws and 20 losses.

Our biggest ever victory over Osasuna was a 1-8 romp in Pamplona during the 1958/59 season, Armando Merodio scoring five of Los Leones' goals on the day.

The Zurigorri have visited Pamplona 42 times for LaLiga fixtures. Our record at El Sadar stands at 18 victories, 11 ties and 13 defeats.

The Lions have done well on their recent LaLiga trips to Pamplona, coming away with three wins and two losses from their last five matches in the city.

Our most recent win at El Sadar was two years ago, with Oihan Sancet scoring a hat-trick as Athletic emerged 1-3 winners.