Barcelona vs Osasuna, summary: Alba goal, Herrando red card, score, goals & highlights | LaLiga Santander 2022/23
Barcelona vs Osasuna: as it happened
Signing off:
That's all from myself tonight. Thank you for joining me with the coverage of a fascinating Barcelona 1-0 Osasuna.
Make sure that you head over to the other games that we've got going on!
Joe
Barça going for Simeone's record
They're just ONE 1-0 win away from breaking the all-time LaLiga record!
Full-time report:
Barcelona will be delighted with the win that puts them momentarily ahead of Real Madrid by 14 points. A late Alba goal was enough to seal the win against a resilient and Aitor-inspired, 10-men Osasuna side that will be desperately disappointed with the result but surely confident that they can take the positives into the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid at the weekend.
As for the home team, they created plenty of half chances but the 1-0 scoreline is again on the board at Camp Nou for a side that, as Xavi has said, fail time and time again to put games to bed.
Osasuna saw red on 26 minutes when debutant Herrando was sent off for a tug on last man Pedri, but that did not stop the away side defending like mighty heroes at a ground where Barça have gone unbeaten all season.
Both teams can take positives from the game as they look forward to bigger dates on the horizon...
MVP: Aitor Fernández
FULL TIME!
Barcelona win and take all three points at Camp Nou!
The winger made a great run down the middle of the pitch and hit a low shot that skimmed the post and flew wide of Aitor's goal.
ANSU FIRES WIDE!
We're into the last minute. Osasuna have been given life and are looking for a late cat to put amongst the pigeons.
Xavi gives a huge clap to Kounde after a tackle on Sánchez, trying to convince him that he really is a real right-back.
3 added minutes.
PEDRI FIRES WIDE!
Dembélé and Ferran win olés from the crowd with delightful 1vs1 skill to beat their markers. The ball rolls out of play, and absolutely nobody wearing red and blue could care one bit.
We've got a couple of minutes left... and Barça want more.
Lewandowski lifts a cross into the box from the right that lands on the blonde locks of Frenkie De Jong, who sets up the incoming Jordi Alba at the far post.
Alba swings a wild left boot at the ball and it slices away and under the dive of Aitor.
The Camp Nou has erupted into song: pure euphoria. They know what this means.
BARCELONA TAKE ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE LALIGA TITLE
Xavi is a very angry man on the sideline.
Alba is played away down the left and his typically arched back zooms down the line and collects the pass.
He plays a cross into Ansu who sees his shot blocked, as does Pedri. Osasuna survive.
Another chance for Barcelona!
Ten minutes to go... still no goals at Camp Nou.
A crazy moment. The ball is hit in from the left and a scramble ensues. Ansu has the calm to take the ball and slide it past a defender before playing it to Lewandowski, who bundles it over the line through the crowd of players.
However, despite the bench's celebrations, the replay shows that players were offside from the original cross into the box.
NO!
OFFSIDE!
Kike hits a volley that smacks off Ronald Araújo inside the box! A massive block from the Barça man!
Pedri makes a lung-busting run through the middle and, with everyone focused on his next step, he slides a pass through to Lewandowski that Aitor rushes out to clear.
However, the clearance bounces back off Pedri and the 76,000 fans draw breath as the ball rolls past all the players, outside the box, and makes its way slowly towards goal... just wide.
BARÇA COME SO CLOSE AGAIN
Busquets and Balde OFF
Alba and Ferran ON
Kike connects with a long free-kick from deep and forces an easy save from Ter Stegen.
Ferran and Alba are coming on.
Pedri goes on a Gavi-esque run through the middle, barging his way past twenty five challenges before seeing the ball cleared.
Ansu gets the ball on the edge of the box and hits a desperate shot that flies wide.
Osasuna are locking up all the doors and windows as Barça probe left then right then left again, looking for a way in. Nothing so far, nada.
Benito OFF
Aridane ON
Barcelona have stepped up another gear and have forced a few last-second blocks from Osasuna players inside their own box. Both wings look dangerous for the home side.
Busquets received from Ansu on the left and played a reverse pass to the Pole, who shot towards goal only to see the man in yellow make another wonderful stop.
LEWANDOWSKI'S SHOT IS SAVED BY AITOR!
Iker Muñoz hits a rifled effort from distance that Ter Stegen does well to save: Barça counter and Aitor saves the effort at the other end.
Aitor races out and slides through a player's legs to smother a corner whipped in from Barça's right. He's having a great game so far.
Ter Stegen catches Moreno's cross and launches a counter-attack with Dembélé who scrapes a ball wide of the post. Xavi, hands in pockets, watches on with the look of a man watching their favourite pub being burned to the ground.
Ansu Fati skips left then right then lifts a delightful ball the the Frenchman at the back post, who is six yards out and on his own. The ball lands at his feet and he slides a shot that fizzes past the post. The crowd can't believe it. A penny for Raphinha's thoughts.
DEMBÉLÉ MISSES BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW
Aitor saves Ansu's shot from the edge of the box!
The winger found a yard of space and hit a low drive that the goalkeeper got down well to save!
Diego Moreno gets down well to slide in and stop Balde's low cross from the left. Osasuna's midfield had been bypassed by the defender and the cross was whipped in with a lot of venom.
Chimy and Torró OFF
KikeGarcía and Cruz ON
Barça want a penalty for handball but the replay shows it hit the leg of the defender before bouncing up. Not given.
Pim, pam, zip, zap.
Barça turn on the style and Pedri finds De Jong - I'm not joking - two yards out and on his own.
The shot is central but the reflexes from the goal keeper are outstanding and he somehow flicks a wrist and watches the ball fly over the bar.
WHAT. A. SAVE. AITOR.
He looks OK to continue. "Phew", say 76,061 onlookers.
Pedri is down, holding his hamstring...
Alba and Ferran are warming up... Xavi's not a happy bunny rabbit.
Araújo's shot is wayward and frankly quite terrible, and he immediately lifts up his arm and points to Pedri, in pain on the ground, as though that was the reason he didn't get within 5 metres of the post.
Early changes from Xavi...
Christensen and Raphinha OFF
Eric and Dembélé ON
Kike Barja has had a great five minutes since the second half began: he has been lively and has managed to skip past a few Barça players in the middle third, causing a few hearts to race.
Huge groans as the referee (correctly) pulls play back after Raphinha's pass hit his leg, despite the ball landing at the feet of a Barcelona player.
Barça break and catch Osasuna out; Lewandowski spins on the edge of the box and slides a pass left to Ansu, whose shot is saved dramatically by Aitor who comes thundering out of his goal to smother the ball.
HUGE SAVE FROM AITOR FERNÁNDEZ!!
Kike Barja tries to feed Chimy through the lines in what is a lively start from both sides, but Araújo cuts out the pass.
76,061 is the attendance for tonight
Not a full Camp Nou, but not a bad turn out at all.
And we're off!
45 minutes to go!
Aimar and Rubén OFF
Muñoz and Barja ON
The players are out for the second half!
Can Los Rojillos find the right moment to strike?
Their defensive display has been superb, but will they be able to find the time to launch their own attack and take the advantage?
Half-time:
An intense game zoomed up one million levels of intensity after Herrando's red card on twenty minutes which, although it will be the talking point for many, was hardly controversial.
What should be a topic of conversation in the Barça dressing room is exactly how they are going to strike a critical hit through the titanium reinforced defences that Osasuna are offering up at Camp Nou; so far, depsite being a man down, Arrasate's side have blocked Barça out, forcing them to go long on plenty of occasions.
Pedri, in all honesty, should have put Barcelona 1-0 up with an atrociousmiss from close range, but Osasuna's gameplan has worked marvellously and they too should also feel that a little more bravery in attack might be able to yield something worthwhile in the second half.
And that's all for now!
Ansu can't get on the two of a nice one-two with De Jong, who scooped a pass over the heads of the Osasuna defenders.
1 minute added.
Torró fires wide from the edge of the box after Osasuna launch a very well-structured attack that catches Barça somewhat off guard. As they say in Spanish, little eye. Ojito. Beware.
I'll explain: Raphinha whipped in a great cross from the right that Aimar tipped away from Ansu's head with the graceful toe of a Disney princess.
The resulting corner was met by the Uruguayan whose header skimmed the top of Aitor's goal.
ARAUJO FIRES A HEADER OVER THE BAR!
AIMAR MAKES A GREAT CHALLENGE ON ANSU TO STOP A CERTAIN GOAL!
Christensen has some space on the edge of the box and the centre-back takes one touch, looks up, takes another touch, looks again at the goal, puts his head down... and plays the ball to Raphinha.
60,000 shoulders just dropped in disappointment. Leave him be, Barça fans, he's a centre-back!
The concentration levels needed by Osasuna's players were always going to be Herculean but now the situation has just been dipped in petrol and set alight.
It is going to be a huge second half for Arrasate's men to keep the scoreline the way it is.
Gavi OFF
Ansu ON
Barcelona have Osasuna pinned back, as they have done all game, and continue to push for the opener. Another ball from midfield flies over the defence and out for a goal kick to the away side.
The referee says there is no red card.
Meanwhile, Ansu is getting ready to come on. Gavi's Gavis must be hurting.
Raphinha gets taken out by Aitor who comes rushing out after the Brazilian was played in behind by a De Jong long ball. The fans want a second red!
Araújo sweeps up a fast Osasuna attack that fizzes from right to left. Switched on.
Koundé misses a big chance from a header!
De Jong, again from the left, lofts a delicious cross to the far post and the French full-back stretches to reach the ball but it flies out for a goal kick.
By the way, that was Herrando's debut...
AND IT'S OVER THE BAR.
Barça have a free kick around 30 yards out. Raphinha to take...
Pedri broke through and Herrando grabbed his arm, bringing the Barça midfielder to ground. The replay shows he was indeed the last man, so that's a red in my book.
OSASUNA DEFENDER HERRANDO IS OFF!
RED CARD!!!
Balde did brilliantly to scamper past Rubén and flick a delightful cross across the face of goal. Pedri, all alone and just yards out, made contact with the ball that he wanted spin past the post and out of play.
WHAT A HUGE MISS FROM PEDRI!!!
It's a chess game out there; I'm sure Xavi is loving the challenge.
De Jong has moved more to the left over the past few minutes and has managed to link up well with Balde. Perhaps that is a way in for xavi's side who have huffed and puffed for 20 minutes.
Koundé goes to attack a Frenkie cross from the left but it is headed over by Herrando.
The Barça midfielders are moving wide to fins space, as Osasuna are plugging the midfield.
Osasuna are struggling to get anything going when they get the ball, but for now they're doing a grand job of keeping Raphinha, Lewandowski and co. out of the danger zones.
Osasuna are now in a 6-3-1, with Barça players twisting their heads like lost meerkats looking for some space on the pitch.
Another heavy challenge comes in, this time from Chimy on Araújo.
Gavi looks to be holding his inner thigh. As of yet, nobody on the Barça bench is moving. We're still playing as he hobbles on.
He's OK to continue. We've all been there.
Gavi is down, holding his little Gavis.
Balde does excellently to get past Moreno again but he plays in the same cross as before: low, hard and into the defenders.
Gavi is already mouthing off at the referee. You're in for a long night, Señor Iglesias Villanueva.
Some early frustration for certain Barça players (Balde, Gavi) who have shown a little too much eagerness in the tackle and are giving easy breathers to the away side.
Balde burns past Moreno onBarcelona's left and fires in a low ball that the away side deal with. Aimar then goes down under a challenge from Busquets and the referee points for a free-kick; so far, Xavi's side are finding little space in the middle of the pitch.
Osasuna get their first feel of the ball in Barça's half with a couple of crosses, first from Rubén and then Ibáñez, that sail high over the tattoos of Chimy Ávila.
Ten gone already. A very fast-paced beginning to the game.
Barcelona get in behind again after a few loose balls from both sides in the middle of the pitch end with Raphinha, who sees his cross blocked out for a corner.
Koundé has just been called offside; the move wouldn't have counted had it ended in a goal.
Koundé broke away down the right after a delightful ball over the top from Raphinha. He burst past his opposite number and played a sly ball back towards the penalty spot, that Osasuna managed the clear.
HUGE CHANCE FOR BARÇA!
Osasuna are sitting in a 5-4-1 off the ball, with Ávila on his own up front.
Gavi is bundled to the floor by Ibáñez, who looked like a man on a mission for some early revenge. Are we in for another tasty Gavi performance? Because I'm always up for that.
Rubén on the wing has just had his first lively touches of the game, and a few tough tackles have come flying in. Gavi, of course, is the culprit.
Osasuna are in white shirts, mint green shorts and white socks. It's lovely.
Barça get to the box within 25 seconds.
Lewandowski is fed the ball from the right but his shot on the turn is weak and cleared away.
And we're off!
The home side get us going.
And here come the players!
Ten minutes to go!
The players are making their way down the tunnel for the final team talk before the whistle goes!
Here's a reminder of the starting XIs:
Barça XI: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araújo, Christensen, Balde; Busquets, Pedri, De Jong; Gavi, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Osasuna XI: Aitor; Moreno, García, Herrando, Sánchez; Torró, Aimar, Ibáñez; Benito, Ávila, García
Fran Santiago / Getty Images
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Xavi pre-match press conference:
If we are where we are, it’s because we have played as a team. Everyone has put the team first ahead of individuality. We’ve been a team, a unit and a family. That’s important to win any trophy, so that’s what I think has made the difference.
We congratulated Madrid for winning it last season. Professionals know that the best team wins LaLiga - the team that has been the most reliable and consistent. That’s why knockout competitions are not as fair as LaLiga. We’re getting on with what we have to do, but I thank Ancelotti for his words.
Yes. They’ll be thinking about the final because it’s probably the most important game in Osasuna’s history. They will be keen to compete well. They have reached their objective in LaLiga but will want to compete and could cause us problems.
It’s not a miracle [for Barça to win LaLiga] because we made great signings. But it has a lot of merit. We’ve already deprived Madrid of the Super Cup. That deserves merit too. We are still in a process of construction although some people didn’t want to hear that. We need to build to be able to win.
ALBERT GEA / REUTERS
Xavi on Lamal:
The Barça boss game a debut to 15-year-old Lamine Yamal last weekend, and he has been talking about the personality of the player who has got the fans wanting more after a fantastic cameo:
"Lamine is a calm person, whose feet are firmly on the ground. He’s intelligent. I don’t think I will have any problems managing him. He’s a levelled-headed guy. We’ll be monitoring him, but the idea is for him to be part of the dynamic within the senior squad because I think he’s ready for it."
Half an hour to go!
The warmups are underway, with both sets of players enjoying the early evening Mediterranean sunshine as the stadium slowly fills.
There is excitement in the air at Camp Nou, with fans anxious to see the same side that beat Betis potentially creep one step closer to the league title that has eluded them for three straight seasons.
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Javier Iglesias Villanueva is the man with the whistle for tonight's game. Here's all the info you need to know on the Galician.
It is Iglesias Villanueva’s first season refereeing in the top division in Spain, and was promoted after 4 years in the Segunda División. Today is only his second game with the blaugrana.
Barça look to continue their fantastic record:
The blaugrana have scored 178 goals against Osasuna, with 120 of them coming at home. Osasuna's heaviest ever defeat also came against Barça, an 8-0 crushing in 2011.
Steamroller is right, Opta boffins.
Xavi sticks with his favoured XI
No messing around from Xavi Hernández tonight, who has gone with the same starting XI that thumped Real Betis 4-0 last week.
Raphinha and Lewandowski will be the two focal points up top while Gavi tears up and down alongside the ice-skating Pedri.
Busquets and De Jong will offer the control in front of Araújo and Christensen, who sit alongside Kouné and Balde in the full-back positions.
Of course, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is in between the sticks.
Osasuna starting XI:
Aitor
Diego Moreno - Unai García - Herrando - Manu Sánchez
Pablo Ibáñez - Lucas Torró - Aimar Oroz
Rubén García - Chimy Ávila - Iker Benito.
Barcelona starting XI: back to a midfield four
Ter Stegen
Koundé - Araújo - Christensen - Balde
De Jong - Busquets - Pedri
Raphinha - Lewandowski - Gavi
In what might be the strangest news item of the day, it appears that Barcelona could have to play their games abroad if they are kicked out of official competitions due to the Negreira case... and it is something that they have looked into:
"Barcelona have commissioned a report to investigate the feasibility of being able to play tournaments abroad, preferably in the Middle East or Asia.
TV3 report that the initiative is there in case serious sanctions are brought about due to the Negreira Case, with Barcelona being excluded from competitions."
Read the full story by clicking the link above.
Oscar del Pozo / AFP
Quiz answers! Did you get all three?
Ter Stegen
Semedo - Piqué - Lenglet - Firpo
Roberto - Rakitic -Riqui Puig
Messi - Braithwaite - Ansu Fati
The Barça dressing room is ready...
Barcelona are in their home kit for this key clash in LaLiga Santander, and will be looking to continue their fine home run against Osasuna, who have lost 8 of their 9 visits to Camp Nou.
Barcelona are also unbeaten in all 34 games they have played on Tuesdays in the league.
Quiz answers shortly...
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We're not sure who's starting just yet for FC Barcelona, but one man in contention is Ansu Fati. The youngster has had a tough time in Cataluña since his injury and has failed to regain the form that saw his propelled to the back pages of newspapers across Europe and beyond.
Given his lack of form, Barça are reportedly weighing up the fact that Jorge Mendes, the player's agent, says that a huge offer will come in for the winger in the summer.
The destination?
England.
Quiz time!
Barcelona have lost just one of their last 13 meetings with Osasuna: but can you name the missing players from the lineup of that game?
Ter Stegen
______ - Piqué - Lenglet - Firpo
Robert - Rakitic - ______
Messi - ______ - Ansu Fati
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Remember, if you want to follow the minute-by-minute coverage andwatch the game on TV or online, you can click on here to find out all the information.
As for Osasuna...
Arrasate's side are edging towards the European places and a strong finish to the season might be needed if Real Madrid are to win the cup and the European places in the league table extend downwards to seventh.
| T | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 47 | 32 | 13 | 8 | 11 |
| 8 | 44 | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 |
| 9 | 44 | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| 11 | 41 | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 |
How the table looks:
Barça already have one hand on the trophy and a win tonight might even tempt Xavi to stretch out his other arm and plonk a finger on there too.
They are currently 11 points ahead of Real Madrid who play later in the evening against Real Sociedad, which will certainly not be an easy game for Los Blancos.
| T | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 79 | 32 | 25 | 4 | 3 |
| 2 | 68 | 32 | 21 | 5 | 6 |
| 3 | 66 | 32 | 20 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | 58 | 32 | 17 | 7 | 8 |
| 5 | 53 | 32 | 16 | 5 | 11 |
Team news: Osasuna
Osasuna potentially have bigger fish to fry than tonight's game as the team have a Copa del Rey final on Saturday. Given this upcoming fixture, manager Jagoba Arrasate is thought to be ready to rest key players for their trip to Camp Nou.
Darko Brasanac and Abde will not feature and neither will their main centre-back, David García, who suffered an injury last week.
Team news: Barcelona
The starting XI is expected by many to be the same as it was for the game against Real Betis, with Xavi finally being able to count on long-term absentees such as Pedri, DeJong and Dembélé.
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the AS USA live coverage of Barcelona vs Osasuna in LaLiga.
It's Joe here today to guide you through this intriguing and exciting match between two of Spain's most improved teams.