Osasuna and Espanyol meet on Sunday evening at El Sadar with almost nothing between them on the table and both carrying the weight of a poor run into the final stretch of the LaLiga season.
The clubs are level on 42 points after 36 matchdays, with Osasuna in 13th and Espanyol in 14th. Osasuna have 11 wins, nine draws and 16 defeats, while Espanyol have matched that record and trail only on goal difference after scoring 40 and conceding 53, compared with Osasuna’s 43 scored and 47 allowed.
For Osasuna, the timing matters because the slide has been sharp. They have lost three straight and won only once in their last five matches, going down four times in that span. Their latest defeat was a 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid, a match in which Kike Barja’s 90th-minute goal merely cut the margin. Espanyol arrive with a more encouraging result behind them after beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at home, with substitutes Pere Milla and Kike scoring in a first win of 2026.
That victory ended a drought that stretched 143 days, back to Espanyol’s 2-1 win over Athletic Club in December 2025. It also gives them a little more momentum than Osasuna, who have taken one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five. On the road, Espanyol have been uneven with four wins, five draws and nine defeats, while Osasuna have leaned harder on El Sadar, where they have nine home wins, five draws and four defeats. Away from home, Osasuna have managed just two victories all season.
The matchup also carries the memory of the last meeting, which Espanyol won 1-0 at home. Across the last five meetings, Osasuna have won twice, Espanyol once and two games have finished level, a record that suggests there is little to separate them when they meet. The difference on Sunday may come down to who handles the pressure better, and whether Osasuna can turn stronger home form into a result after a run that has left them searching for a response.
There is still a larger table picture behind the game. With six points left to play for and only four points separating 11th from 19th, the final two rounds can still shape the relegation battle. Osasuna and Espanyol are not in the drop zone now, but both know a single result can change the tone of the finish.
Osasuna will also be without Victor Munoz because of a calf injury, leaving Ante Budimir as the most obvious threat. He has scored 17 goals in 2,773 minutes this season, including five headed goals and 12 conversions from big chances, and his finishing has been central to whatever stability Osasuna have found. If they are to stop the losing streak, they will need him to matter again. Espanyol, after finally breaking their own long wait for a win, arrive knowing that one more result at El Sadar could push the season into calmer water.
