A Valencia team featuring young players earned a 2-1 win at 10-man Sevilla on the opening day of the Spanish league on Friday. Twenty-year-old substitute Javi Guerra, who emerged as a talent last campaign, scored the 88th-minute winner after Sevilla had lost defender Loic Badé to a red card. “I am very happy not just for the goal but for the win by the team," Guerra said. “There is no better way to start the season.”
It’s time for Real Madrid to switch into championship mode for the last part of an inconsistent season. Madrid will play Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday following a stretch of poor showings in the Spanish league, where the title has long been out of reach. Carlo Ancelotti’s players have been playing…
Behind Enemy Lines: CA Osasuna
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Background, Transfers, and Expectations
After a couple of years in
Segunda Division, Osasuna returned to La Liga with an outstanding 19/20 season performance. Many newly-promoted sides prefer to play conservatively, but Osasuna did the opposite and became one of the most aggressive and direct teams in the league. Their strong pressing system combined with the offensive talents of left-back Pervis Estupiñán and striker Ezequiel “Chimy“ Ávila allowed Osasuna’s attack to perform at the level of a top-half team. This was an impressive feat for a newly-promoted side and Osasuna deservedly finished 10th on the league table.