Osasuna Stuns Barcelona, Ends Perfect Start
Osasuna’s stunning 4-2 victory over Barcelona on Saturday shattered the Catalan giants’ perfect start to the La Liga season. The defeat marked a significant setback for Barcelona, who had won all seven of their opening fixtures.
Osasuna’s triumph was orchestrated by Ante Budimir, who scored a brace, and Bryan Zaragoza, who netted the opening goal. Pau Victor briefly gave Barcelona hope with a lifeline goal, but Budimir’s second-half penalty and Abel Bretones’ sensational strike sealed the victory for the hosts. Lamine Yamal pulled one back for Barcelona, but it was too little, too late.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick took full responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging that his heavily rotated side had made numerous mistakes in the first half. “We had a lot of changes in the team and this is maybe one reason for that,” Flick said. “I think it was necessary. We had so many matches, a lot of players had so many minutes, I have to take care about that. This is my responsibility.”
Flick’s decision to rest key players ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Young Boys backfired, as Barcelona failed to ignite in the first half. Osasuna, on the other hand, seized the opportunity, with Zaragoza playing a pivotal role in the opening two goals.
Barcelona’s struggles continued in the second half, despite the introduction of Yamal and Raphinha. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski was taken off with 20 minutes remaining after a disappointing display. Osasuna capitalized on Barcelona’s defensive lapses, with Budimir converting a penalty and Bretones adding a fourth goal.
The defeat leaves Barcelona with a four-point lead over second-place Real Madrid, who face Atletico Madrid in a derby clash on Sunday. Osasuna, meanwhile, climbed to sixth place in the standings.