Alessio Lisci will lead Osasuna into a home match against Espanyol at Estadio El Sadar on Sunday, 17 May 2026, when the two sides meet in LaLiga Round 37.
The fixture matters because both clubs arrive level on 42 points — Osasuna in 13th and Espanyol in 14th — with identical records of 11 wins, 9 draws and 16 defeats. Osasuna have scored 43 and conceded 47; Espanyol have 40 for and 53 against. With just two games left in the season, a result at El Sadar will have immediate consequences for the fragile midtable and the wider relegation picture.
Osasuna come in under pressure. They have lost three consecutive matches and have won only once in their last five. Their most recent defeat was a 2-1 reverse at home to Atletico Madrid, and Victor Munoz is sidelined with a calf injury. Lisci is expected to select a 4-2-3-1 and to rely on Ruben to lead the offensive line as he chases a way to stop the slide.
Espanyol arrive on a very different recent run. Managed by Manolo Gonzalez, they broke a 143-day wait for victory by beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in their most recent outing — their first win of 2026. That win will boost confidence; Espanyol are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 and to be organized around Cabrera at the spine of the side.
The numbers underline why the game has bite. Both clubs sit on 42 points; the final two fixtures could determine their top-flight future. With only four points separating 11th from 19th this season, a swing at El Sadar could alter not just positions but the complexion of a relegation fight that remains open across the table.
There is a clear tension between form and momentum. Osasuna have been more dependable at home than away but arrive with a three-match losing streak and a recent 2-1 home defeat that exposed defensive frailties. Espanyol, by contrast, have struggled on the road — they have four wins, five draws and nine defeats away this season — yet they travel with the psychological lift of a 2-0 win that snapped a long winless run.
Matchday selection promises more friction. Lisci’s expected 4-2-3-1 leans on Ruben to create and finish chances while covering for a back line that has conceded 47. Gonzalez’s 4-4-2 is likely to test Osasuna in wide areas and ask questions of their midfield balance. Victor Munoz’s calf injury reduces Lisci’s options in a tie where margins will be thin.
For supporters, the immediate stakes are simple: three points at El Sadar will give either side breathing room heading into the final day. For Lisci, the practical task is to steady a team that has lost momentum at the worst possible moment; for Gonzalez, it is to prove that the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao is the start of a recovery rather than an isolated uplift. In a season where both sides sit identically on 42 points and similar records, the choice between momentum and form will determine who carries confidence into the closing day.
