A single mistake separated Osasuna from stealing a point at Santiago Bernabeu in what would have been a defensive masterclass in the opening round. Now, the Little Reds will host Valencia and new boss Alessio Lisci has promised fans more action.
Osasuna finished 9th last season and missed the Conference League spot due to Rayo Vallecano's better H2H performance. Both teams ended the campaign with 52 points and a -4 goal difference. The Little Reds will pursue the same goal this season and the newly appointed Alessio Lisci might be the right man to help them achieve it. But Osasuna had a near-silent transfer window, which is unusual after a managerial change. With over five departures and only two arrivals, the team will mostly consist of the same players.
Valencia will be one of Osasuna's direct rivals for the European spots this season and on paper, Carlos Corberan's team consists of more talent. The Bats made big moves on the transfer market in an attempt to find the missing pieces of the puzzle, which left them 12th last term.
Valencia kicked off the season with a 1-1 draw at home against Real Sociedad, and while we saw glimpses of their potential, they produced only two shots on target out of 18 attempts total.
How the bookies view it: Big odds for a tight matchup
Bookmakers had difficulties naming a certain favourite but ended up giving Osasuna the nod. The Little Reds are available at 7/5, while Valencia are not that far behind with 21/10. The final option is the draw, priced at 11/5.
Recent head to head: Back-to-back draws last season
For the most part, this rivalry has been even in recent years, with Valencia having a small advantage with four wins to three. But the two matches last season ended level, with the previous edition at Estadio El Sadar producing six goals. The Bats have generally always played well at this stadium, winning five of their last 10 visits.
Players to watch: Will this be Lopez's year?
Osasuna's attack is a work in progress and it remains to be seen how new signing Victor Munoz will adjust. Valencia have a lot more firepower at this point and a whole bunch of youngsters capable of scoring at any point. Watch out for Dani Raba and Hugo Duro in the coming weeks, but right now, we will put Diego Lopez forward. The Spaniard secured Valencia the point against Real Sociedad and he was also behind the opening goal in the most recent H2H with Osasuna.
Probable line-ups
Osasuna: Herrera, Cruz, Boyomo, Catena, Rosier, Moncayola, Torro, Munoz, Oroz, Garcia, Budimir
Valencia: Agirrezabala, Gaya, Copete, Tarrega, Foulquier, Lopez, Pepelu, Rioja, Lopez, Guerra, Duro, Raba
Anything else catch the eye?
Valencia have built a squad for the future, but they can't afford another mediocre season. The team hasn't finished in the Top 8 in eight years and it will all depend on their performance on the road. Last season, the Bats had the third-worst record away from home, winning only two out of 19 matches.
Not much has changed since then, and we expect Valencia to remain winless after two rounds. Osasuna finished the previous campaign with four wins in a row at home, including wins over Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Girona. And overall, their home record was near perfect, making Estadio El Sadar a near-impregnable fortress.
Coach Alessio Lisci has promised a more aggressive tactic, so we should see Osasuna score their first goals of the season. But Valencia have always been hard to break, so our conclusion is that we will see another draw between these teams. And since the Little Reds had the most BTTS games last season, we should see some action on both ends.
GambleAware