Barcelona withstood a stern examination at Osasuna’s El Sadar stadium on Friday before two late goals sealed a 2-1 win that moved the Catalan club to the brink of their 29th La Liga championship.
Travelling to Pamplona without injured teenage winger Lamine Yamal, Barcelona were made to work hard by an Osasuna side with European ambitions of their own. The hosts, chasing a top-seven finish, were well-organised defensively and arguably created the better chances during a tightly contested opening 45 minutes. Talisman Ante Budimir came closest for Los Rojillos before the interval, stabbing a shot that clipped the outside of the post, while Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García was called upon repeatedly to keep the score level.
Barcelona dominated possession throughout but struggled to find the decisive final ball to unlock Osasuna’s defensive structure. It took until the 81st minute for the deadlock to finally break. Substitute Marcus Rashford delivered a precise, weighted cross into the penalty area, and Robert Lewandowski timed his run expertly to rise above the defence and power a downward header past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera, giving Barcelona a 1-0 lead.
Five minutes later, the visitors appeared to have ended the contest. Midfielder Fermín López played a defence-splitting pass through to Ferran Torres, who latched onto the ball and finished between Herrera’s legs to make it 2-0. However, Osasuna refused to capitulate. Substitute Raúl García met a cross from Abel Bretones to steer a precise header past Joan García and reduce the deficit to 2-1, setting up a frantic closing period. Despite sustained Osasuna pressure in stoppage time, Barcelona’s defence held out to secure the three points.
The result has significant implications for the La Liga title race. Hansi Flick’s side will mathematically clinch the championship next weekend if they avoid defeat against Real Madrid in El Clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou. Barcelona could even be crowned champions before that fixture if Real Madrid fail to beat Espanyol in their upcoming match. Consecutive La Liga titles would represent a significant milestone for the club, a feat they have not achieved since the 2018-19 season.
For Barcelona, the victory also underlines the squad’s capacity to grind out results in the absence of key personnel. Yamal’s absence was notable given his importance to Flick’s system, yet Rashford’s impact from the bench proved decisive in unlocking a stubborn Osasuna defence.
Osasuna, meanwhile, remain on 42 points following the defeat, leaving their European qualification push in a precarious position. The result represents a setback in their bid to secure a top-seven finish, and the manner of the defeat — conceding twice in the final ten minutes after limiting Barcelona for over 80 — will add to the frustration surrounding their evening’s performance.
