Monday night in La Liga brings a clash between two teams desperate for a spark as Real Oviedo host Osasuna at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere. With both clubs languishing near the bottom of the table, this fixture is shaping up to be more than just another league match—it’s a test of resilience, managerial mettle, and squad character.
The Asturian side, Real Oviedo, have endured a turbulent start to their campaign. Just last month, the club made the bold move to sack Veljko Paunović, the coach who had guided them to promotion. His replacement, Luis Carrión, returned for a second spell, but the homecoming has been anything but smooth. Carrión’s reappointment was met with skepticism, and some fans still haven’t forgiven his abrupt departure to Las Palmas after the 2023/24 season. The jeers he received in his first game back—a 2-0 defeat against Espanyol—spoke volumes about the pressure he faces.
Despite the rocky start, Carrión has wasted no time in trying to overhaul Oviedo’s style. His intent to play more attacking football has already produced fireworks: three matches under his leadership have seen a whopping 14 goals fly in, though not always in Oviedo’s favor. Their most recent league outing, a dramatic 3-3 draw at Girona, saw David Carmo rescue a point with a 98th-minute equalizer. But the euphoria was short-lived, as a humiliating 4-2 Copa del Rey exit at the hands of third-tier Ourense quickly followed. Heading into this week’s match, Oviedo sit just one place off the bottom of La Liga, with only seven points from ten matches and a worrying -12 goal difference, ranking 19th in the league.
Team news for Oviedo isn’t exactly rosy either. Álvaro Lemos and Josip Brekalo remain sidelined, while Santi Cazorla and Ovie Ejaria are both fitness doubts. Carrión is likely to stick with a similar lineup to the one that drew in Girona, though Alberto Reina could step in if Ejaria doesn’t recover from his hamstring issue. Salomón Rondón, who has scored in two of his last four league appearances, is expected to lead the line once again.
On the other side, Osasuna arrive with their own set of challenges, but perhaps a bit more optimism. The Navarrese side, under new manager Alessio Lisci, have had a rough time on the road—losing all five of their away league matches and scoring just once away from El Sadar. Still, they come into this fixture buoyed by a 5-0 Copa del Rey demolition of C.D. Sant Jordi, featuring a hat-trick from backup forward Raúl García. That cup result stands in stark contrast to their league form, where they recently fell 3-2 at home to Celta Vigo despite outshooting their opponents 16 to 11.
Lisci, who took over after leading Mirandés to the Segunda División play-off final at this very stadium, has tried to stabilize Osasuna with a back three formation. But the side’s old issues linger, particularly a heavy reliance on Croatian striker Ante Budimir for goals. Budimir, who has already found the net four times this season, scored twice in their latest league defeat and is priced at 7/2 to open the scoring on Monday. Summer signing Víctor Muñoz, a €5m acquisition from Real Madrid, has only managed one goal so far, but he remains a player to watch. According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Muñoz’s odds to score against Oviedo are +275, reflecting both his potential and the uncertainty surrounding Osasuna’s attack.
Osasuna’s squad is not without its own injury woes. Iker Benito is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Valentin Rosier is also unavailable. Jon Moncayola is likely to continue as the right-sided wing-back, while Aimar Oroz, returning from injury, could make an impact off the bench. Lisci’s probable lineup features Herrera in goal, with Catena, Boyomo, and Cruz forming the defensive trio, and the likes of Gomez, Torro, Bretones, Raúl García, Budimir, and Muñoz rounding out the attack.
Statistically, this fixture is a tough one to call. Osasuna are slight favorites at 8/5, with Oviedo and the draw both priced at 2/1. Betting markets hint at a potentially open contest: over 2.5 goals is available at 11/8, while both teams to score sits at evens. Oviedo are 21/20 to win either half, and Osasuna are 10/3 to score in both halves. These odds reflect the unpredictable nature of both teams—Oviedo’s three matches under Carrión have yielded a combined 14 goals, and they’ve conceded 5.7 expected goals (xG) in just two league games since the coaching switch. Meanwhile, Osasuna have shown more attacking intent lately and are expected to test Oviedo’s leaky defense.
Digging deeper into the numbers, Osasuna have scored nine goals in ten league games (ranking 19th in La Liga) and conceded twelve (fifth-best defensively). Real Oviedo, by contrast, have only managed seven goals (20th in La Liga) but have shipped nineteen, which is the 16th-worst defensive record. The goal differential tells a similar story: Osasuna sit 14th with a -3 differential, while Oviedo’s -12 leaves them mired in 19th. Both sides have only managed one draw apiece so far this season, underlining their inconsistency and vulnerability.
As for individual performances, all eyes will be on Budimir and Rondón to provide the attacking spark. Budimir leads the way in the goalscorer markets, priced at 7/5 to score anytime, while Rondón is 11/2 to score first and 9/4 anytime. For those looking for a different angle, Osasuna are 5/6 to both score over 0.5 goals and register more than 11.5 shots—a nod to Oviedo’s defensive frailties and Osasuna’s recent attacking uptick.
What about the managers? Both Carrión and Lisci are under pressure to deliver results. Carrión’s gamble on a more offensive approach has made Oviedo’s matches must-see TV, but the defensive lapses are piling up. Lisci, meanwhile, is still searching for his first away points with Osasuna, but his team’s cup exploits and attacking improvements offer some hope.
With both sides scrapping for survival and eager to turn around their fortunes, Monday night’s encounter at Carlos Tartiere promises drama, goals, and perhaps a few surprises. Will Oviedo’s new attacking philosophy finally pay off, or will Osasuna’s search for their first away points bear fruit? The action is set, and with the match available on Premier Sports 1 and ESPN+, fans won’t want to miss a minute.
As the teams prepare for kick-off, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Both clubs are in dire need of a win to ignite their seasons and lift spirits in the dressing room. With so much on the line, expect an intense battle and plenty of talking points by the final whistle.