LaLiga: Barcelona's perfect start ended after 4-2 Osasuna thrashing

Barcelona's perfect start to the LaLiga season came to a screeching halt as Osasuna thrashed them 4-2 on Saturday, September 28. Hansi Flick's idea to rotate his side backfired as Osasuna moved to 6th in the points table.

In Short

• Budimir scored a brace for Osasuna in the 4-2 win
• Barca boss Flick decided to rotate his side for the clash
• Osasuna defeated Barcelona for the first time in 9 attempts

Barcelona's perfect start to the LaLiga 2024/25 season came to an end as Osasuna thrashed them 4-2 on Saturday, September 28. Croatian striker Ante Budimir was the star of the show for the home side as he scored a brace to secure a major upset on Saturday.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick made strategic changes to his lineup, benching regular starters Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Inigo Martinez in preparation for their upcoming Champions League match against Young Boys. This decision, however, did not pay off as Osasuna, fuelled by a sold-out home crowd, adopted an aggressive approach from the start. They pressed high and utilised quick counter-attacks that exploited the weaknesses in Barcelona's altered lineup.

The scoring began in the 18th minute when Bryan Zaragoza, on loan from Bayern Munich, delivered a precise cross that Budimir headed home for the opener. Zaragoza himself extended Osasuna's lead just 10 minutes later, showcasing his speed and skill by dribbling past Jules Kounde and then rounding the goalkeeper to score into an empty net.

Barcelona managed to reduce the deficit in the 53rd minute, thanks to a critical error by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera. Herrera's blunder allowed a weak strike from Pau Victor to slip through his hands and into the net. However, Osasuna regained their two-goal advantage when Budimir converted a penalty in the 72nd minute, after being fouled by defender Sergi Dominguez inside the box.

The game was all but sealed in the 83rd minute when substitute Abel Bretones scored with a brilliant long-range strike, making it 4-1 for Osasuna. Although substitute Lamine Yamal scored Barcelona's second goal with a powerful shot from the edge of the box in the 89th minute, it was too late to change the outcome. In added time, Ferran Torres hit the post, but Barcelona's efforts were ultimately in vain.

Despite dominating possession, Barcelona struggled to create meaningful chances until late in the game when Flick introduced Yamal and Raphinha from the bench. However, Osasuna's counter-attacking strategy continued to cause problems for the visitors, leading to several scoring opportunities for the home team.

The victory marked Osasuna's first league win over Barcelona in nine attempts and lifted them to sixth place in the standings with 14 points. Barcelona, despite the loss, remain at the top of the table with 21 points, four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and are set to face Atletico Madrid on Sunday.