In a stunning 4-2 victory, Osasuna halts Barcelona’s winning streak. Explore the match details and pivotal moments that defined this thrilling game.
Introduction:
A consistent winning start to the 2023/24 La Liga season by FC Barcelona went into a shuddering halt on its visit to El Sadar Stadium, in the La Liga, where it suffered a humiliating 4-2 defeat at the hands of Osasuna. It is the very first defeat at the hands of this mighty Catalans’ season after seven uninterrupted wins in the first seven matches of the season.
A win would have placed Pamplona level with Barcelona’s best ever opening to a league season, but the lively Osasuna had other plans. While Barça improved tremendously in the second half, the home team exploited crucial moments, and the Blaugrana tasted defeat for the first time this season.
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Wretched Start to the Match
Some unexpected selections were seen in the Barcelona line-up as the group started the match, mainly due to the current injury crisis. Coach Hansi Flick was left with no other alternative but to rest some key players like Raphinha and the new sensation Lamine Yamal. With eight first-team regulars taken out, and the congested fixture calendar, the three youngsters in Sergi Domínguez, Pau Víctor, and Gerard Martín were given an opportunity to take to the field, all hungry to make their mark in the squad.
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The match started well for Barça, but things fell apart quickly when Osasuna’s Ante Budimir rose above Pau Cubarsí to head in the first goal in the 18th minute. Barcelona’s defense looked shaky, and a dire lack of experience at the back was brutally exposed. It took only 10 more minutes before Bryan Zaragoza, Bayern Munich loanee, made it 2-0 after a skillful solo run past goalie Iñaki Peña. A two-goal deficit in just 28 minutes dominated the rest of the game.
Second Half: Some Hope
The second half provided Barça with a second chance. Some hope was restored in the second half of the game.
After a poor first 45 minutes, Barcelona needed some spark at the break, and they got it. It came, though, not from their own brilliance but an error from Osasuna’s Sergio Herrera goalkeeper. Having made a spectacular save against Robert Lewandowski, Herrera fumbled his release, presenting Pau Víctor with an easy shot. And although it should have been an easy save at that stage, Herrera’s mistake brought Barça back into the game at 2-1.
This gave Barça a lifeline, and with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, the complexion of the game now utterly shifted. Barcelona now looked threatening and began creating better opportunities. For this moment, at least, another famous comeback from Barça will not come as a surprise at all.
The Revival of Osasuna: Two More Goals
When the hosts pull level at 2-2 through Osasuna’s goal, in the 67th minute, Barça is attacked in the box by young Sergi Domínguez, and he steps up to kick the ball passed Iñaki Peña to restore the two-goal lead for Osasuna at 3-1.
This was a crushing setback for Barcelona’s rhythm, but Osasuna made nothing of it, for some heroic defensive contributions-including an incredible, last-gasp tackle by Eric García, this time on form-and Peña himself turned in a super-save to see Osasuna equalize. Abel Bretones let fly with a long-range strike in the 82nd, and just peeled peaning down the wall by it to make it 4-1. That put the game effectively out of sight for Barça.
Still Fighting: The Goal of Comfort
Even though the game was slipping away from their fingers, Barcelona spirit would not let the dying embers die out. However, in the last five minutes, Lamine Yamal played a piece of magic, sending a sublime 89th-minute shot straight into the top corner. Such beauty had been denied by its timing and importance.
Still, Barcelona pressed forward in the last minutes of the game. Ferran Torres agonizingly came close to scoring another one but saw his shot hit the post. It was 4-2 going into the final whistle.
Conclusion
Despite losing the first game of the season, Barcelona can take heart away with positives from their second half. Injuries and fatigue could have contributed to their downfall, but this defeat will keep reminding them that La Liga is a long marathon, not a short sprint. Young talents coming out were glimpses into the future, but determination to fight till the last whistle by Barça cannot be undermined.
Hansi Flick will surely be hunting for all his players to return to play when this campaign resumes again in search of successive league titles. For Osasuna, to win Barca by such means will be etched in their memory for eternity as they ended an outstanding winning run from Barcelona.