Our prediction for this Primera Division match:
Betis and Osasuna square off against each other at Estadio Benito Villamarin in what is expected to be a close La Liga encounter. Los Beticos are undefeated in the previous five league matches, but they need to start winning on a regular basis if they are to represent Spain in European competitions for yet another reason. Experienced midfielder William Carvalho is pushing for a start, while all Marc Bartra, Youssouf Sabaly, and Nabil Fekir remain on the sidelines with injuries.
Los Rojillos, on the other hand, quickly bounced back from a 4-0 loss to Real Madrid, with the team beating Granada 2-0 in front of home fans. Osasuna, though, are not regarded as good travellers and we do not believe that they are capable of grabbing more than one point from Sunday’s clash. As for the visiting side, midfielder Jose Manuel Arnaiz misses out with a thigh injury, while Unai Garcia is a major doubt and he will be assessed ahead of the kick-off.
Highlighted Player (Willian José):
Well-travelled Brazilian international Willian Jose was born in Porto Calvo and made his first football steps at a local Clube de Regatas. It was at the age of 17 that he was snapped by Gremio Barueri where he made 26 league appearances and scored six goal in his first – and only – senior season at the club.
In 2011, Willian Jose moved to Deportivo Maldonado but his five-year stint with the Uruguay outfit was marked by no less than seven different loan spells, one of which was to La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid. Standing at 186cm tall, Willian Jose is a notable presence in the box. This powerful centre forward will use his physicality to hold up ball and bring his teammates into play.
The Brazilian international did well to make a name for himself in Spain by playing for Zaragoza and Las Palmas, respectively, before he sealed a permanent move to Real Sociedad in 2016. A member of both FIFA U-20 World Cup and South American Youth Championship winning sides with Brazil in 2011, Willian Jose has not been given a chance to prove his worth at the senior level with Selecao.
Highlighted Team (Osasuna):
Osasuna are a Basque football team that plays in Spanish La Liga. Los Rojillos are based in Pamplona and and the club were founded in 1920. Estadio El Sadar has been the home of Osasuna since 1967 and the capacity of the stadium is 19,800.
The colour of Osasuna’s home kit is red, while the team’s shorts are navy blue. Los Rojillos dropped to the Segunda Division at the end of the 2013/2014 La Liga campaign, but they did not spend too many time in the Spanish second tier. The club returned to the elite division in 2016 after beating Girona in the play-offs.
Osasuna made it to the Spanish Copa del Rey final in 2005, but they eventually lost to Real Betis after extra time in the title game. The meaning of the word Osasuna is “health” in Basque and it is used in a sense of strength.