Osasuna-Real Sociedad, a Basque derby for different targets

Good morning, dear Osasunists! Our mood is sad and hopeless as our team losts their advantage with the relegation posts in the last five games home and away, and the next rival is a neighbour who is not in their best moment either: Real Sociedad and besides, they haven't won at El Sadar since 2002. Therefore, there is hope for a reverse situation and the perfect moment is this Sunday.

It is true that the relegation posts are only one point away, but it is also important for Osasuna to see that there will be confrontations between teams in danger and Osasuna can make a profit of that situation. Our rival for Sunday has other targets as Real Sociedad are struggling to go to Europe again next season , either to the Champion League, which is 7 points away, or the Europe League, whose main rival is 9 points down.

Although Joseba's players and supporters haven't got over from the bad results as they have lost three of the last five games in La Liga and they want to make a profit of the confrontation between Atletico and Athletic this Saturday evening to get closer to their neighbours from Bilbao. There is hope for Osasuna as Real Sociedad haven't won in their games away from Anoeta stadium in all 2014. Only when they visited Malaga they won and got a draw in their visit to Getafe. There are doubts in the game of Joseba's players and Osasuna must win to avoid the relegation posts.

Possible kickoff teams:
Osasuna: Andrés Fernández; Oier, Loties, Arribas, Damià; Loe, Puñal, Francisco Silva; Cejudo, Roberto Torres and Oriol Riera.
Real Sociedad: Bravo; Zaldúa, Ansotegi, Iñigo Martínez, Jose Ángel; Bergara, Rubén Pardo; Carlos Vela, Canales, Griezmann; Agirretxe.

GORA OSASUNA!AUPA ROJILLOS!

Athletic-Osasuna at Anoeta, a derby for three!

Good afternoon, dear Osasunists! Today is Friday,...and? Is my article about holidays? 9 1/2 weeks are almost gone, but no, we still have time to enjoy!No,...It is a football day, and the teles are the ones to blame, apart from the LFP betrayers. Perhaps, the angriest of all must be the supporters from Bilbao, as they not only have to move to Donosti to watch a home game, their most hatred rival stadium will be their stadium for the second time in history, but they also have to leave their city, Bilbao, during the major day of their festivals, Aste Nagusia. Anyway, football is our topic. After the first games of this season, the beginning was different for both teams. Athletic won their match against Valladolid away ( 1-2 ) and they are full of confidence and ready to confront their first derby. On the other hand, Osasuna, the real visitor this game lost their match at El Sadar, against one of their rivals for the season to fulfill their main goal: avoid relegation to Second Division. Don't forget that must be the aim for Osasuna during this year, again and ever. Valverde, Athletic's coach, won't be able to use two of his Navarrians for this game, Iraizoz and Ekiza. You know that was an important issue in the previous confrontations, but it seems to be forgotten, except for the last player who left Osasuna to cross the highway to Bilbao: Kike Sola. Unfortunately for the Bizkaians, Kike is sanctioned too and he won't play against his ex-partners. During these days, as you know, I have been on holidays and most days I stayed in Bilbao and I have bben witness of the demolition of San Mames stadium, the home stadium of Athletic de Bilbao, and the construction of their new stadium: San Mames Berria. It is a pity we couldn't inaugurate the new stadium, I wish we could, but another reality is that they, as locals, only sent 300 tickets for Osasuna supporters and it has been imposible to get one to watch at Anoeta. Osasuna will play the match with many handicaps, more than the necessary for a second game in the season. First,our team lost their game at home against Granada, a direct rival, and second, there will be many players who won't repeat in the kickoff team. Apart from Miguel Flaño, Eneko Satrústegui, Manuel Ortiz "Lolo" and Juan Francisco Martínez, who didn't play the first game, we must add "Nino", injured , Álvaro Cejudo and Miguel De las Cuevas. Mendilibar will replace them with Sisinio González "Sisi" and Oriol Riera. Besides, Francisco "Gato" Silva will substitute Raoul Loé. But what the team need is not only new men in the kickoff team, but overall the strenght and fight that is inner in the name of the club. KICKOFF TEAMS: Athletic: Herrerín; Iraola, Gurpegui, Laporte, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Beñat, Herrera; Susaeta, Aduriz and Muniain. Osasuna: Andrés Fernández; Marc Bertrán, Loties, Arribas, Joan Oriol; Puñal, Silva; Armenteros, Oriol Riera, Sisi; Ariel Núñez. GORA OSASUNA! AUPA ROJILLOS!

Osasuna-Athletic Bilbao, more than a derby

 
Good morning, dear Osasunists!
Today is a red day on our football calendar. Although it isn't a Sunday, today is FOOTBALL DAY, with capital letters. Not only because there is a Clasico match before Osasuna's game, but also because the rival of Osasuna is the hatred Athletic de Bilbao.

Osasuna needs to get their fourth consecutive victory against Athletic in Pamplona. A match that both teams will face differently from the expected after the first round in La Liga. Athletic is only three points from the relegation posts; after playing two finals last season and shouting their supporters an overwhelming "Bielsa quedate" at Vicente Calderon at Copa del Rey Final last June, the supporters and some assistants of Athletic's chairman, Urrutia, want Bielsa to be fired after the bad results of the Basque team.

The reds from Pamplona, "los rojillos", have won all their matches that they played at El Sadar in 2013, after the beginning of the second round and their situation is the opposite from Athletic's. Osasuna have flown away from the relegation posts, which are now five points ahead. The Navarrians are still a strong team in the defence as Andres Fernandez, the goalkeeper, picked the ball 27 times, even less times than Victor Valdes in F.C. Barcelona or if we compare to the goal issue raised in Bilbao, because there is a debate with Iraizoz or Raul, the two goalkeepers in the Basque team. But on the other hand, the best forward, Kike Sola, has just scored seven goals though they have been very important for Osasuna.

There is an important supporting campaign to take the football fans to El Sadar, and for the first time this season the stadium will be complete and all together we'll shout "A por Ellos" or "Eman Gogor" ( Go for them ). There is a great expectation on the game in Pamplona and the supporters expect to win the eternal hatred rival from Bilbao.

Mendilibar, Osasuna's coach, is from Bilbao, but he has already achieved a victory against Athletic last season in Pamplona. He won't use players like Ruben, sanctioned, or Raoul Loe, injured. Miguel Flaño and Lolo will substitute them after resting against Levante last weekend, another important success in a game away the local stadium.

Meanwhile, Bielsa, Athletic's coach, is on the red line. They have lost their last three games against Espanyol, Malaga and their neighbours in Donosti-San Sebastian at San Mames stadium, Real Sociedad, and they are heading the relegation posts and need to win Osasuna to avoid those posts. Besides, Athletic's coach has got many problems with his players since the beginning of the season. After Javier Martinez's transfer to Bayern Munich and the announcement of next season sign with Juventus for Llorente, there are many doubts with Amorebieta or Iker Muniain, who has shown his lack of mature after his action last weekend at San Mames and his later speech.

Posible kickoff teams:
. Osasuna: Andres Fernandez; Marc Bertran, Arribas, Flaño, Damia; Lolo, Silva, Oier Sanjurjo, Armenteros, Nino; Kike Sola.
. Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, San Jose, Laporte, Aurtenetxe; Iturraspe, De Marcos, Herrera; Susaeta, Aduriz , Ibai Gómez.
Don't forget the referee: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes, with bad results for Osasuna matches!
Gora Osasuna! Aupa Rojillos!

Osasuna-Zaragoza, time for brotherhood and rivalry

 

Good afternoon, dear Osasunists! It's time to leave the red positions away. Osasuna and Zaragoza play at El Sadar with a similar goal: to win and leave the rival down at the classification.

Osasuna is in a positive journey towards that aim, as since the second round started they have won their two local matches against Deportivo and Celta. Besides, the "reds" got a draw ( 1-1 ) last Saturday against Mallorca away, though they could have won the three points, if Andres hadn't missed a ball.

Defense is the best position at Osasuna side and it is a strong team very difficult to beat. The weakest position is the forward where they didn't score many goals in the season. Another thing to bear in mind is the few victories at home, just four out of twelve matches.

Mendilibar, Osasuna's coach, is very unpredictable for a kickoff team, but it is supposed to play with Kike Sola, Cejudo or Arribas as different players from the ones who played in Mallorca.

On the other hand, Zaragoza F.C. are very worried of the confrontation, as they are determined to stay in First Division and they haven't been in relegation posts since the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, their new year matches haven't been successful and they only got two points in their matches in 2013.

Manolo Jimenez can't use some of their key players for this match. Alvaro Gonzalez and Helder Postiga, or Romaric are very important for the club but they can't play tonight. Therefore, the kickoff team will be very different from the usual one, and the new forward, Rochina, can  show his best.

Gora Osasuna!Aupa Rojillos!
Possible kickoff teams:
. Osasuna: Andrés Fernández; Marc Bertrán, Arribas, Rubén, Damiá; Lolo, Oier Sanjurjo, Cejudo, Silva, Armenteros; Kike Sola.
. Zaragoza: Roberto; Sapunaru, Pintér, Paredes, Abraham; Movilla, José Mari; Víctor Rodríguez, Apoño, Montañés; Rochina.

Osasuna-Zaragoza, a brotherhood confrontation

Happy Sunday, dear Osasuna supporters! Today we're, I hope, enjoying one of those games all Osasuna fans mark in red from the very beginning of the season as we get the calendar: Osasuna-Zaragoza.

As I said in November when Osasuna visited Zaragoza, I have relatives in that city and the rivalry between both teams is something I've learned from my childhood. There have been more times in the past when we, Osasuna fans, had to hide and go headoff as "the maños" were going mad laghing at us.

But in the last five-ten years the joy is at El Sadar, as it was known our stadium then, or now at the Reyno de Navarra stadium. R.C.D. Zaragoza is again in first division this year after playing in the so-called "Inferno" of the Second Division, and now that the League is eight games left to come to an end, they are still suffering to keep in the First Division.

Actually, the three teams which were promoted to First Division are in danger to return to Second Division, but Osasuna, though is in a comfortable position, is not completely saved. These three points, besides those against Malaga next Wednesday, are key to leave any doubt behind, and perhaps to enjoy the last games of the season in May and to think of next season needs and resolutions.
Yesterday, 40 million people in Spain alike, I watched the derby between Real Madrid-Barça. In spite of not being the best match I've ever watched, I could appreciate how Guardiola's players were completely concentrated on their target: to win the match and, maybe, with the final result to get at least "half of the League Cup". And in the end they got their aim, and when their coach was interviewed how he makes his players play so well, his answer was he commands them to run and keep their position to help their playmate, and of course they are very good players.
My point is that, of course, Camacho's players are not as good as Guardiola's, but Osasuna's coach has been unable to mentalize Osasuna players in key matches. I'm still angry, as many Osasuna supporters, of the defeat against Racing in Copa del Rey in Pamplona, and I'm sure our players didn't leave the dressing room as they had to. The final result could have been the same, but the attitude was of lack of concentration. Valdano, Real Madrid's manager, said that his players were very stressed and anxious before and during the game. I'M VERY STRESSED AND ANXIOUS AT MY JOB POST!

Football players must be and feel lucky of their proffesion, because they are working in a job they chose, probably, since they were less than five years old. They get paid quite well, though there is a strike announce for next Sunday, and they are very well considered by the society, they are the new era heroes and icons. And as they have that figure, they are guilty of many of our disappointments in life, and our anger during the complete week. A supporter is willing of watching his team every Sunday and when games like today come, we feel nervous, anxious and desireful to defeat our maximum rival: in this case, Zaragoza.

I'll be very disappointed if Osasuna don't get the three points this afternoon. It will be a very frustrating end of Easter holidays to face some of my Zaragoza supporter students and see their smile in their faces. This is the most important game in the year for Osasuna players, as it was for Barça yesterday's. I hope we'll be as happy as those fans who went out at Canaletas Square after the result at Bernabeu Stadium, and perhaps all us can meet at Plaza del Castillo and sing Osasuna songs soon.
Gora Osasuna! Aupa Rojillos!