Barcelona - Osasuna summary: Vitor Roque winner, score, goal and highlights | LaLiga 2023/24
Barça vs Osasuna: as it happened
Peeep peeep peeep! Barcelona have kept their first LaLiga clean sheet since the start of December, and are back to within eight points of top spot.
They also provisionally move up into third ahead of Atlético Madrid, who are about to play their game in hand against Rayo Vallecano tonight.
It was hardly the free-flowing, weight-off-their-shoulders display that Xavi was hoping for after announcing his summer departure. However, given Barça's defensive issues - they conceded 19 in all competitions this month, having let in 20 in the entire 2022/23 league season - a clean sheet is certainly good news for the Catalans.
As for Osasuna, they've missed the chance to leapfrog Alavés in the LaLiga table. Jagoba Arrasate's men remain 12th.
Thanks for reading!
A final attack for Osasuna. With goalkeeper Aitor Fernández up for it, Rubén García delivers a free-kick from the left. It's cleared for a corner, which is delivered right onto Kike Barja's head - but he can't direct it goalwards! What an opportunity spurned, and that should be that.
Vitor Roque goes down under David García's tackle on the edge of the Osasuna box. The loose ball runs to Lamine Yamal, and with the refereeing playing advantage, the 16-year-old overruns it. Barça want it brought back for the initial foul, but they don't get what they want.
Oh, Lewandowski needs to get his head up there. Gündogan feeds the ball into the Pole at the top of the box, where the striker has Vitor Roque in space to his right. Instead, he tries to wriggle into shooting space to finish the move himself, and loses the ball.
Three minutes of time added on.
Lewandowski gets the ball out of his feet 30 yards out, but his shot is blocked. Back come Barça, though. Cancelo runs and runs at the Osasuna defence, barrelling his way into the area and to the byline, before stretching for a cross-cum-shot that Fernández repels.
Rapid Roque not as quick as Guiu
Opta note that Vitor Roque's goal is not the fastest this season by a Barcelona substitute. That distinction goes to Marc Guiu, who grabbed the winner in October's 1-0 victory over Athletic just 35 seconds after coming on.
Osasuna make a double change, replacing Moncayola and Torró with Kike Barja and Pablo Ibáñez.
Gündogan is chopped by David García some 25 yards out from the Osasuna goal, and the German himself will take the free-kick.
It's in a lovely position, just to the left of the left-hand post... but Gündogan slaps his effort right into the wall.
Lewandowski momentarily thinks he's doubled Barcelona's lead, but he's offside.
Vitor Roque turns and slips the Pole in behind the Osasuna defence. Lewandowski finishes expertly, sending a delicious dink past Fernández, but he was clearly a yard or two ahead of the last man when he received the ball.
Two chances for Osasuna! That Barça clean sheet is suddenly looking in grave danger.
First, Vitor Roque is dispossessed by David García as Barça try to bring it clear, and Osasuna quickly feed it to Raúl García, who has space to shoot on the right of the Blaugrana box.
It's a very decent chance for the visitors, but García drags his attempt across the face of goal.
Moments later, Moncayola lets fly from 25 yards out - and Peña has to look alive to parry!
Oriol Romeu is on for Barcelona, Pedri making way.
If it stays this way, Barcelona will have kept only their second clean sheet in nine games in 2024. Their only shut-out so far came against Osasuna.
So far, the Catalans have let in 19 goals already this calendar year.
Barcelona have certainly got their tails up right now.
First, Lamine Yamal glides past a host of challenges and into the Osasuna box, where he twice shoots, but twice has his effort blocked.
A moment later, Barça are screaming for a penalty when Vitor Roque falls under Torró’s challenge in the area, but the referee says: nothing doing, chaps.
The visitors replace Arnaiz, Budimir and Oroz with Raúl García, Rubén García and Darko Brasanac.
Osasuna are making a triple substitution. Stand by...
Well, what an impact Vitor Roque has had here!
As the Brazilian peels off into space to meet an Araújo ball on the left wing, Unai García brings the Brazilian down - and that will be the defender's second yellow! Osasuna are down to 10 men.
Goal! Barcelona 1-0 Osasuna - instant impact from the sub!
Vitor Roque has his first goal for Barcelona! The hosts have just upped the tempo a little in the last few moments, and 'Tigrinho' has broken the deadlock!
With the outside of this boot, Cancelo curls a ball to the near post from the left, and Vitor Roque is first to it. He nods past Fernández from point-blank range, and the stadium erupts!
Vitor Roque is on, with Fermín making way. A substitute for a substitute.
Well, just as I write that, Gündogan almost gets his head on the ball six yards out! Lamine cuts in from the left and curls a ball into the danger area, where there are a couple of men waiting in Blaugrana shirts. Gündogan it is who connects, but he glances wide!
Barcelona are preparing to bring on Vitor Roque.
There really isn't a whole lot happening at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, and the home crowd are beginning to get pretty restless.
The Barça fans - of which there are a modest 36,000 tonight - are just starting to make their dissatisfaction known. The hosts have huffed and puffed; Osasuna are yet to be truly stretched.
Pedri is booked for going into a challenge with Torró with a high foot.
Barcelona drive forward, feeding it left to Cancelo. He drops a shoulder and cuts inside, before fizzing in an inswining cross - but it's overhit. None of Lewandowski, Fermín and Lamine are getting anywhere near that.
Gündogan clips in a free-kick from the left wing, but it's underhit and doesn't clear the first line of defence. Budimir heads away.
Barcelona reply by creating a half-chance for Lamine Yamal. The ball is fed to Fermín at the top of the box, where he tries to produce a Bergkamp-esque turn.
He loses control of the ball, but it runs to the right to Lamine, who doesn't need a second invitation to shoot. He hits his low shot well enough, but it's right at Fernández. A relatively easy claim for the goalkeeper.
Right away, Osasuna win a corner that Arnáiz delivers. It's onto David García's head, but he is under pressure from Araújo and nods off target.
Peeeep! We're back up and running. No half-time changes for either side.
Players back out at Montjuïc
Both sets of players are making their way back out onto the pitch at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, where Joao Cancelo could be seen having a very animated discussion with referee Jorge Figueroa Vázquez.
Possibly about that coming together with Areso, in which the Portuguese ended up with a cut on the face - but had a free-kick given against him.
Barça substitute Fermín López, who replaced Ferran early in the first half, stretches to meet a cross in a goalless opening 45 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
(Photo: EFE/ Alejandro Garcia)
Some half-time reading for you, courtesy of my colleagues Adrián Córdoba and Calum Roche. The napkin on which Lionel Messi signed his first ever agreement with Barcelona is up for auction next month, and can be all yours if you happen to have $380,000 (at least) burning a hole in your pocket.
Peeep peeep peeep! That's half time.
It's mostly been Barça ball - 70% possession for the hosts, according to Opta - but Xavi's men are yet to truly open Osasuna up.
Again Cancelo delivers from the left, and it's headed behind for another corner.
This one is taken short, before De Jong lifts an inswinger onto Koundé's head at the back post. The Frenchman gets a glancing effort in, but can only turn it past Fernández's right-hand post.
Two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half in Catalonia.
As ever, Gündogan will take the set piece. His delivery is headed away, only as far as the edge of the area, where Fermín is waiting. It's a decent shooting opportunity for the youngster, but he thrashes his strike high and, I think, a bit wide.
We're still awaiting the night's first real chance.
Barça tap it about on the left-hand side for what feels like about a quarter of an hour. Cancelo finally lifts a ball over to Lamine Yamal's run to the back post, but the teenager is muscled off it and the hosts have a corner.
At the other end, Budimir is almost in to score from close range, but can't react in time! Oroz meets a right-wing corner at the near post, flicking it on to the back stick, where Budimir has peeled off into acres of space. The Croat can't sort his body out quickly enough, though, and can't direct a header goalwards.
On the left flank, Cancelo cuts in and slips an inside ball into Fermín, who has pushed forward into the Osasuna box. He darts past his marker, but goalkeeper Aitor Fernández is quickly off his line to narrow the angle and snuff out the danger.
Lamine Yamal wins a corner on the right, which Gündogan takes. Koundé meets the delivery at the near post, but he glances off target.
Barça boss Xavi consoles Ferran Torres after the forward is forced off with an early hamstring injury.
(Photo: LLUIS GENE / AFP)
David García absolutely clatters Gündogan on the halfway line, preventing the German from continuing on his way towards the Osasuna goal. The Barça crowd call for a yellow, but Jorge Figueroa Vázquez doesn't want to give one.
Cancelo has blood oozing from a cut on his face after a challenge with Areso. He's ordered off the field to have the gash tended to, and doesn't seem very happy about it.
Oh, that's an enticing opening for Osasuna, but Mojica suffers something of a rush of blood to the head. Arnáiz clips a reverse pass into Mojica's run into the Barça area, where he has space to either shoot or cross. As is frequently the case, he does neither; he blazes the ball high towards the corner flag.
A moment earlier, by the way, Lamine Yamal has floated in a delicious right-wing cross from towards Fermín, who was waiting at the back post, but Unai García did just enough to get in the Barça forward's way.
Osasuna keep the ball for a good 90 seconds or so, to growing whistles from the home fans.
Finally Budimir outmuscles Fort and feeds it right to Arnáiz, who bustles into the Barça area.
Araújo comes across to meet him and slides in to block his path towards goal, prompting Arnáiz to slump to the floor in search of a penalty. He doesn’t get one.
Pedri tries to slip the ball into feet to Fermín, who has darted into space at the top of the Osasuna box. Fermín can’t quite bring it under his spell, though, and Unai García is quickly there to take the ball off the youngster’s toes.
Osasuna win a corner, which Pedri heads behind. The second corner is just too high for Unai García, who rises to head it at the back post, and Barcelona bring it away.
Again Barcelona work it out left for Cancelo to deliver into the box, and the Portuguese duly obliges by threading a low, inswinging ball into the danger area. It’s aimed at Lewandowski, who has peeled off towards the near post, but the Pole can’t quite reach it.
We have the first yellow card of the evening. Osasuna’s Unai García is booked for clattering Lewandowski as the striker sought to turn and set off towards goal.
Cancelo dinks a ball into the Osasuna area, but it's easily cleared by the visitors, who immediately launch an attack of their own.
From the right, Areso clips a low ball towards the penalty spot, but it can't find a player in a sky blue shirt.
Back come Osasuna, Mojica feeding it forward into Arnáiz's run into space on the left. He then cuts inside and plays it square to Torró... but he was offside when he received the ball from Mojica. Barcelona will clear.
Osasuna enjoy their first moment of danger at the Barcelona end.
Los Rojillos feed it left to Mojica, who winds up a cross into the middle. It's delivered with plenty of whip, but it's right at Cubarsí. The young Barça defender boots it clear.
Gündogan delivers the free-kick to the back post, where Lewandowski rises highest to get his head to it. The Pole directs his header downwards, but off target.
Barça work it right to Lamine Yamal, who promptly engages in an almighty tussle with Mojica. The youngster cuts inside as he tries to shake off the Colombian's attentions, and finally wins a free-kick in the right-hand channel.
Fermín López, who has now been given a first-team squad number, is on for Ferran.
Barça confirmed this week that Fermín has officially been registered as a first-team player, and will henceforth sport the No. 16 shirt.
Ah. Barcelona are going to be forced in to a very early change.
Ferran Torres pulls up as he chases a ball, holding the back of his thigh. He’s not going to be able to continue, and is in tears as he leaves the field.
Now they do do something with it. Lamine Yamal slips a low pass into space on the right wing, where Gündogan has surged forward to receive the ball. He, in turn, plays it inside to Pedri, who clips it out wide to the left.
Joao Cancelo works himself a yard or two of space to shoot from the corner of the Osasuna box, but thumps his effort well over the bar.
It’s all been Barcelona ball in these first couple of minutes, but I’d be lying if I told you they’ve done much with it.
Peeeep! We're underway.
A final look at the Barcelona and Osasuna line-ups
Here's a reminder of the teams:
Barcelona
Peña, Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Cancelo, Pedri, De Jong, Gündogan, Yamal, Ferran, Lewandowski
Osasuna
Fernández, Areso, David García, Herrando, Unai García, Mojica, Moncayola, Torró, Oroz, Budimir, Arnaiz
Almost time for kick-off!
Out come the players at Montjuïc! The Barça anthem blares.
We're just a couple of minutes away from kick-off.
"Time to stick together"
Xavi has just been speaking pre-match to DAZN.
“This is a time to stick together - the fans and the club, the players," he said. "The players are going to take a step forwards, I’m sure of that. I think it’s a good thing for the club [that I announced my exit] - that’s why I made this decision.”
Xavi has said before that he thinks his team will have a weight taken off their shoulders by his announcement; we'll start to find out tonight whether that's really the case.
Who are referee’s assistants? Who is the VAR?
Figueroa Vázquez’s assistant referees in Catalonia will be Aitor Villate Martínez and Álvaro Granel Peiró, and the fourth official will be Fernando Bueno Prieto
The VAR will be Valentín Pizarro Gómez, and the assistant VAR will be Raúl Cabañero Martínez.
Who is the referee for Barça vs Osasuna?
Jorge Figueroa Vázquez, 43, will be the match referee today at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Figueroa will be taking charge of a Barça game for the first time this season.
He has crossed paths with Osasuna twice so far this term, though. He oversaw Los Rojillos’ 2-0 LaLiga win over Alavés in October, and their 1-1 draw with Las Palmas in the league in November.
(Photo: CHEMA DIAZ)
Barcelona forward Ferran Torres warms up ahead of kick-off.
(Photo: ALBERT GEA/REUTERS)
Barcelona's arch rivals Real Madrid are also in LaLiga action this midweek, with Los Blancos to visit Getafe on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters ahead of that game, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti had a piece of advice for Xavi, telling him that he has learned to use the pressure of elite-level coaching as "fuel".
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His name doesn't appear on the list Juan has compiled, but it has been reported that Barça's players would be keen on a return for former Blaugrana boss Luis Enrique.
Currently the Paris Saint-Germain head coach, Luis Enrique led Barça to two LaLigas, three Copas del Rey and a Champions League during a three-year spell in the Camp Nou dugout, between 2014 and 2017.
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So, who could replace Xavi at Barça next season?
My colleague Juan Jiménez has put together a rundown of some of the major names who are likely to be in the running - and one coach who'd be Barça's dream choice, but appears unlikely to go to LaLiga this summer.
By the way, if you're wondering how you can watch today's game in Barcelona, let me point you in the direction of my colleague Andy Restrepo's guide on where you can tune in on TV or online.
Osasuna's players enjoy a pre-match stroll on the pitch at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
(Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea)
Budimir brings up milestone against Sevilla
Striker Ante Budimir's goal for Osasuna at the weekend was his 50th career strike in LaLiga.
Soccer stats specialists Opta note that Budimir is only the fourth Croat to reach a half-century of goals in the Spanish top flight.
Where do Osasuna sit in LaLiga standings?
Osasuna, incidentally, head to Barcelona sitting 12th in LaLiga, with the opportunity to leapfrog 11th-placed Alavés.
As I mentioned earlier, Los Rojillos drew 1-1 with Sevilla last time out in the Spanish top flight - a result that means they remain unbeaten in the league so far in 2024.
Before this weekend’s stalemate with Sevilla, Jagoba Arrasate’s men enjoyed LaLiga wins over Almería and Getafe this month.
However, it’s also worth noting that Osasuna are on six-game winless run on the road in the league. Their last away win in LaLiga came back on 1 October, at Alavés.
| T | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 29 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| 11 | 26 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 |
| 12 | 26 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 |
| 13 | 24 | 21 | 5 | 9 | 7 |
| 14 | 23 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
What is Barça's recent H2H record against Osasuna?
That 2-0 win in the Middle East stretched Barcelona’s winning run in games against Osasuna to five in a row.
The Blaugrana are unbeaten in eight against the men from Navarre, with their last defeat to the club coming in July 2020.
Barça and Osasuna meet for second time in three weeks
That recent Barça-Osasuna clash that Jagoba Arrasate was talking about came earlier this month, in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup.
Barça were 2-0 winners over the Navarrans in Riyadh, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal scoring second-half goals to send the Catalans into the final.
If you'd like to refresh your memories off that game a little further, this what my colleague Joe Brennan made of the encounter in Saudi Arabia.
(Photo: David Aliaga/RFEF)
Jagoba Arrasate's pre-match comments
What Osasuna boss expects from Barça:
“After everything that’s happened in recent days, Barça will produce a reaction and will be looking for a win. There’s a lot at stake for them, so I expect Barça to be on top of their game. It’ll be down to us to cancel them out and try and create our own moments of danger.”
Learning from recent Barça meeting:
“We’re mindful of the last game we played against them; I think it was very even until their [first] goal. We’re two teams with very different styles of play, but we had our chances. We just have to show greater cutting edge.”
Xavi's pre-match comments
Being Barça head coach a “cruel” and “unpleasant” job:
“That’s what it’s like. Day in, day out, you’re made to feel like you’re not up to the job. It’s happened to every coach [at Barça]. I’ve spoken to Pep [Guardiola] about it, and he said the same. So did Ernesto [Valverde]. I saw Luis Enrique suffer the same. We have to reflect on this; I think we have a problem when it comes to how demanding this job is.”
Media criticism:
“I get the feeling that whatever I do, whatever I say, it’s never enough. And that’s why I’m leaving. I made the decision at the start of the season.
Osasuna team news
The visitors' head coach, Jagoba Arrasate, has also confirmed his line-up. Osasuna have gone with: Fernández; Areso, David García, Herrando, Unai García, Mojica; Moncayola, Torró, Oroz; Budimir, Arnaiz.
I make that seven changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Sevilla at the weekend: Aitor Fernández, Jorge Herrando, Unai García, Jon Moncayola, Lucas Torró, Aimar Oroz and José Arnáiz all come in for Los Rojillos.
Ferran return one of quartet of Barça changes
Xavi makes four changes to the Barcelona side that began their weekend defeat to Villarreal.
There’s another start for young defender Pau Cubarsí, who is in for Andreas Christensen, while Joao Cancelo returns to the team at left-back, Héctor Fort making way.
Pedri is restored to the midfield, with Oriol Romeu dropping to the bench, and Ferran Torres is in for the injured Joao Félix.
Barcelona team news
Xavi has named his XI to face Osasuna. It is: Peña; Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Cancelo; Pedri, De Jong, Gündogan; Yamal, Ferran, Lewandowski.
At a glance: Xavi's stats as Barça boss
Xavi’s announcement comes at the end of a dismal January in which Barcelona have not only slipped further off the title race pace, but were thumped 4-1 by arch rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Club.
In his two and a bit years as Barça boss, Xavi has won a league title and a Spanish Cup. Now, the Champions League appears to be his only hope of adding to his trophy collection before departing.
In the graphic above, our colleagues at SofaScore have taken a statistical look at the World Cup winner's record in the Blaugrana dugout.
Barça need "change of dynamic" - Xavi
Explaining his decision to step down at the end of the season, Xavi said on Saturday: "The situation calls for a change of direction, and as a Barça fan, this situation cannot continue. I believe the club needs a change of dynamic.
"As a fan, for the well-being of the players, I think they will be relieved. We’ve been playing under a lot of tension. For the sake of the board, it’s better for me to leave."
(Photo: EFE/Alejandro García)
Barça down in fourth - and looking for new boss
Unless you’ve been living under a planet-sized boulder, you’ll already be aware of Xavi's announcement that he’s on his bike at the end of June.
He broke the news after the Blaugrana’s 5-3 defeat to Villarreal on Saturday - a reverse that leaves the defending champions down in fourth in LaLiga, 11 points off Girona in top spot.
Given that today’s Osasuna clash represents a game in hand on the league leaders, Barça do at least have the opportunity to cut that gap back to single figures.
| T | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 54 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 44 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | 44 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 3 |
| 5 | 42 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | 36 | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
Barcelona vs Osasuna: welcome!
Hello! Welcome to our live-text coverage of Barcelona’s rescheduled LaLiga clash with Osasuna, which was postponed from its original slot in mid-January because of the clubs’ involvement in the Spanish Super Cup.
Kick-off at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, where Barça will be playing for the first time since head coach Xavi Hernández announced his end-of-season departure, is at 7pm local time. In the US, that’s 1pm ET/10am PT.