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Barcelona vs Osasuna predictions
- Barcelona to win by 1 goal - 11/4 BoyleSports
- Raphinha over 0.5 assist - 5/2 BoyleSports
- Robert Lewandowski over 2.5 shots on target - 14/5 Betway
Barcelona face Osasuna in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday with a final against Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid the prize for the winner.
Xavi Hernandez has faced a lot of criticism as Barca boss in recent weeks, but the Catalans are on a run of three successive victories in all competitions.
Osasuna are also in good shape at the moment having won three of their last four matches in all competitions. Barca beat Osasuna in LaLiga back in September, but a lot has changed since then.
Football betting sites have priced Barcelona as strong favourites to win on Thursday, but they have been vulnerable at times this season.
Barcelona to edge competitive encounter in Saudi Arabia
Barca might be on a three-game winning run, but all of those wins have been by a one-goal margin.
In fact, Barca haven’t won a match by more than a single goal since a 5-0 thrashing of Royal Antwerp in the Champions League in September.
The situation has certainly improved since Barcelona went three games without a win in December, including defeats to Girona and Royal Antwerp, which raised questions over Xavi’s future as manager.
Barca are struggling to achieve routine wins with the Catalans even given a competitive game by fourth tier Barbastro in the Copa del Rey over the weekend.
Osasuna were level against Barcelona in the league meeting between the two teams in September until a red card helped the Catalans secure all three points.
Betting sites have priced Barca as the favourites, but there is less certainty over the margin of their victory.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Tip 1: Barcelona to win by 1 goal - 11/4 at BoyleSports
Raphinha to continue his role as a provider
Robert Lewandowski has struggled to meet the standards he set for himself last season with the Polish striker’s future at Barcelona the subject of much discussion.
Raphinha has also faced speculation about his future at the Catalan club, but the Brazilian winger has found a rich vein of form recently - at least as a provider for his teammates.
Indeed, Raphinha has registered four assists in his last five appearances for Barcelona, also scoring in the league win over Almeria before Christmas.
Xavi has continued to shuffle his attacking pack in an attempt to find the right formula, but Raphinha should be relatively certain of his place in the lineup for Thursday’s Super Cup game in Saudi Arabia.
There is more debate over who will start on the left side of the Barcelona attack with Joao Felix falling out of form since his very impressive start after joining from Atletico Madrid in the summer. Ferran Torres could be an option.
Betting apps also list Pedri and Joao Cancelo as players who could drive Barcelona towards a win with an assist, despite both carrying injuries, but Raphinha’s recent track record suggests he is most likely to be the Catalan’s main creator.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Tip 2: Raphinha over 0.5 assist - 5/2 at BoyleSports
Robert Lewandowski to shoot, but not necessarily score
Lewandowski is enduring a challenging season with the 35-year-old only netting nine goals in domestic competition for Barcelona.
There has been much discussion about Lewandowski’s declining form and whether Barca should move him on at the end of the season and find a younger, more reliable replacement.
Despite this, Barcelona continue to use Lewandowski as the focal point of their attack. He might not be scoring as often, but the Polish international is still racking up the shots in most matches he plays.
Indeed, Lewandowski is averaging 3.5 shots per game for Barcelona this season - only Felix comes close to matching that number for the Catalans with 2.3 shots per match.
Having played just 18 minutes off the bench against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey at the weekend, Lewandowski is expected to start for Barca against Osasuna. Xavi needs a win to prove he is still the man for the job as the club’s manager.
By his average of 3.5 shots per game, Lewandowski could be primed for a impactful outing. The Pole is averaging 1.6 shots on target per game this season, and we believe he could be in store for an even better performance against Osasuna.
The safer option would be to go with over 1.5 shots on target at 23/20, but we're backing Lewandowski to register 2.5 shots on target at 14/5 with Betway with a value selection.
Barcelona vs Osasuna Tip 3: Robert Lewandowski over 2.5 shots on target - 14/5 Betway
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
