Osasuna vs Athletic Prediction 3 January 2026
🔊 What are the odds of the Basques upsetting the crowd at El Sadar this coming Saturday? Osasuna and Athletic are set to clash in a head-to-head encounter as part of the 18th round of La Liga. Both clubs are aiming for European competition spots, but a lack of consistency is currently holding them back. While Alessio Lisci continues to adapt his tactical model in Pamplona, Ernesto Valverde has been desperately trying to overcome a gameplay crisis throughout the first half of the season. It's worth noting that bookmakers are giving approximately equal chances for success to both sides.
Head-to-Head
📊 Let's look at the outcomes from the last 10 head-to-head encounters: Osasuna have claimed 3 victories, 4 matches ended in a draw, and Athletic secured 3 wins. Last season, the Basques remained unbeaten against the Reds in the national league: a 2-1 win at El Sadar and a goalless draw at San Mamés. It's also crucial to note the average scoring rate for each side over these past 10 meetings: Osasuna average 1 goal per game, while Athletic average 1.1 goals.
Head-to-head statistics Osasuna - Athletic
Osasuna Team Overview
🔴 The "Reds" continue to tread a fine line between the relegation zone and mid-table. Currently, the team from Pamplona has accumulated only 18 points from 17 matches. Notably, Alessio Lisci's side have secured the majority of their points at "El Sadar"-16 from 8 games, ranking them 8th in the league. Since the appointment of the Spanish tactician as head coach, the "Reds" have undergone significant tactical changes. The promising coach aims to build a cohesive unit with a foundation of solid defense and effective transitional play.
📌 Osasuna closed out 2025 on a high note with a convincing 3-0 victory over Alaves at "El Sadar". In this matchup, the "Reds" showcased their prowess in employing vertical football. The expected goals metrics were telling: 2.02 to 0.56 in favor of Osasuna. Let's note the average scoring statistics for the "Reds" in this season's La Liga campaign-1 goal scored per match while conceding an average of 1.18. The club's top scorer from Pamplona is Croatian forward Ante Budimir, who has netted 6 goals in 16 La Liga appearances this season.
Match Results: Osasuna
Athletic Bilbao Team Overview
🔴 This season's version of the Basques is a far cry from their former selves. Their defensive reliability has waned, and their attacking sharpness has dulled. The scoring statistics lay bare this trend-averaging 0.89 goals per game while conceding about 1.33. Away games are a particular sore spot for the "Red and Whites" with only 7 points from 8 matches. Their current 8th place in the standings, trailing the European competition spots by 5 points, is further evidence of Athletic's ongoing crisis.
⚪ In this season's La Liga, even "San Mamés" has ceased to be a fortress for the home team. In the last league round, Ernesto Valverde's squad suffered a deserved defeat against Espanyol (1-2). The Catalan side played excellently on the counter and capitalized on Athletic's main weakness-inefficiency in positional play. The poor form of their attacking line, particularly the Williams brothers, is the primary reason for their current struggles. Although Nico Williams is the club’s top scorer this season, his stats tell a story-3 goals and 2 assists in 14 La Liga appearances.
Match Results: Athletic Bilbao
Latest news
Osasuna
📰 Recently, Javier Galan was officially unveiled as a new player for Osasuna. The 31-year-old left-back wasn't getting enough playing time with the "Colchoneros," so this move to the Pamplona side is a great opportunity for him to prove himself once again. Here's what Galan had to say after signing the contract: "I want to thank the club, [sporting director] Braulio [Vazquez], [associate sporting director] Cata [Prieto], and [scout] Alejandro Alfaro, who were instrumental in making this happen. I'm where I want to be. I'm 100% confident in this decision, very happy, and eager to contribute in any way I can. As Braulio said, the identity of this club matches who I am as a person, and I will strive to perform at a very high level."
❌ Among the players who won't be able to help Osasuna in the upcoming match are Enzo Boyomo (national team duty) and Iker Benito (knee injury).
Athletic Bilbao
🎤 Athletic's head coach Ernesto Valverde reflected on his team's tough 2-1 defeat to Espanyol: "It's a difficult loss, both for what it signifies and because it leaves us far from the European places we aim to be in. The second goal sank us. But it's true that we also lacked the game and talent to create more danger. This was the last match of the year. It’s been a good year, we're in the Champions League. However, this season, we're not getting good results. We're losing too many matches. Compared to last year, the numbers aren't great-they're worse. Last year, we were able to maintain our top level, but this year we're far from it. We need to respond better to this."
❌ Athletic are still suffering from a significant number of injured players: Aymeric Laporte (hamstring injury), Unai Eguiluz (knee injury), Yuri Berchiche (muscle injury), Benat Prados (knee injury), and Marouane Sannadi (knee injury). Additionally, they can't count on Yeray Alvarez, who is serving a long suspension.
⚽ Goal Prediction
It's crucial to consider the average scoring rate of each team in the current La Liga season: Osasuna average 1 goal per match, while Athletic Club average 0.9. Additionally, it's noteworthy that in 4 out of the last 5 matches involving the Basques, no more than two goals were scored. Given the pragmatic tactical approach of both clubs, our editorial team doesn't anticipate a goal fest here either. We suggest the following bet - total goals under 2.5.
🚩 Corner Prediction
Osasuna rank among the worst teams in the league for average corners earned per game, with just 3.3. In comparison, the Basques average 5.4 corners. In head-to-head encounters, Athletic also hold a significant edge in corner kicks, averaging 6.8 compared to Osasuna's 4. We recommend considering this betting option - individual total corners for Osasuna under 4.5.
Editor's Prediction
When considering the key bet, it's crucial to assess teams' performances in home and away matches. The "Reds" have been dominant at El Sadar, earning the majority of their points on home turf. Athletic, on the other hand, consistently drop points on the road, even in seemingly favorable situations. It seems that Bilbao's current slump won't allow them to break this pattern. We anticipate a final score of 1-1. The key bet is Osasuna will not lose.
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Betting Tips: Osasuna - Athletic Bilbao
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in 8 of last 9 games against Athletic Bilbao (La Liga).in 8 of last 9 home games against Athletic Bilbao.in last 20 home games (La Liga).
in 9 of last 10 home games against Athletic Bilbao.in 8 of last 9 home games against Athletic Bilbao (La Liga).
Comparison of Teams Stats
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