Osasuna are competing in the Spanish Supercup for the first time, and will take to the pitch to try and knock off an ambling Barcelona in Riyadh at 20:00 CEST. Ahead of the match much of the talk has been that Barcelona are not in the best shape, but Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate was of the opinion that they were one key thing away from becoming formidable again.
With Barcelona struggling, Xavi Hernandez has been taking a lot of the criticism, but Arrasate noted that perhaps it had been a little harsh.
“The times I have been with him, I have seen him more relaxed, calm, good. Being on that bench is a continuous focus, but he deserves respect, having been league champion.”
“If I listen to what you say, it may seem so, but then they are a team that generates a lot and the only thing missing is the finishing touch. They are criticised even when they wins, because it is only by one goal. [We have] To respect them, because they are a great opponent. We are waiting for the best Barca, that grows on the big occasions.”
Osasuna were beaten by the Blaugrana with a late Robert Lewandowski penalty in September, in a match that Los Rojillo could easily have grabbed the winner in too.
🎙️ "It is a historic moment for the club. We are now closing the great work done last season. I want to thank every player who brought us here. We want to go all the way. It is a two-game competition against great opponents, and no one will stop us from trying to get a win… pic.twitter.com/XrFTpkLVax
— C. A. OSASUNA (@osasuna_en) January 10, 2024
His recipe for the match consisted of sticking to the tenets of the Osasuna style.
“High pressure, having the ball, defending well… if we trust everything to penalties, we are taking steps towards losing. We must be ourselves and carry out that plan to perfection.”
Diego Simeone poured scorn on the fact that the Supercup was being held in Saudi Arabia after their clash with Real Madrid, noting that there were barely any Atletico Madrid fans there. Arrasate also expressed his disappointment that their fans were deprived of the spectacle.
“It’s a shame. We already know where we come from and how this is set up. It would have been very nice to play this in front of our people, it is a task to do it without them, but I say to them that we are going to try by all means.”
🎙️"To be here is a dream come true. You can only imagine what it means as Navarrese, as rojillo, and having been in the club since I was nine. Fighting for a spot in the Supercup final, along with my teammates, friends, and coaching staff – against this great opposition – fills… pic.twitter.com/qgK65dlwhd
— C. A. OSASUNA (@osasuna_en) January 10, 2024
Arrasate will be without two to three key players for the match, but it would not be surprising if Osasuna did not at least make life difficult for Barcelona. The Basque coach also noted that they were getting more and more experience in big games now, having been to the final of the Copa del Rey last year, and played in the Conference League play-offs at the start of the season.
