Barcelona seek to exploit Osasuna’s tame attack to stretch title gap

Barcelona enter the weekend in blistering domestic form, and Saturday’s visit of Osasuna offers another opportunity to stretch a run that has turned their La Liga campaign into a charge.

Hansi Flick’s side have a four-point cushion over Real Madrid, and the manner in which they are gathering pace suggests they will not be in the mood to ease off.

Their midweek Champions League victory against Eintracht Frankfurt ensured that rhythm was not broken and strengthened their chances of jumping straight into the last 16.

The result also reinforced the sense that Barcelona are growing in confidence as the season moves into its decisive phase.

Saturday’s fixture presents a straightforward target – continue winning and keep pressure on Madrid.

Flick’s team have scored a league-high 47 goals and have repeatedly overwhelmed opponents with their attacking depth and speed.

However, their defensive record remains far from watertight with 20 goals conceded in 16 matches.

Their recent league includes victories over Elche, Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao, Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Real Betis, and the consistency of those performances has been as impressive as the points tally.

Barcelona will also have the memory of last season’s 4-2 defeat in Pamplona as a reminder of what can happen if they switch off.

Osasuna arrive at the Nou Camp in 15th place with 15 points from 15 matches, a sharp contrast to last season’s ninth-place finish that saw them miss out on European qualification only on goal difference.

Alessio Lisci’s team have been competitive defensively, conceding only 18 goals, but their struggles in attack have weighed them down, with only 14 goals scored across the campaign.

They travel to Barcelona with back-to-back wins behind them after victories against Ebro in the Copa del Rey and Levante in La Liga.

Osasuna have won only one of their last eight meetings with Barcelona and know they will be facing a team that has rediscovered fluency.

Barcelona return home having won all four matches at the Nou Camp since its partial reopening. They will expect to extend that run this weekend.