Preview: Villarreal vs Osasuna - prediction, team news, lineups

Villarreal will be aiming to bounce back from successive defeats when they continue their La Liga campaign with a home fixture against Osasuna on Saturday evening.

The Yellow Submarine have collected seven points from their four matches this season to sit sixth in the La Liga table, while the visitors are ninth, having picked up six points from their first four games of 2025-26.

Match preview

Villarreal made a flying start to the 2025-26 campaign, beating Real Oviedo 2-0 and Girona 5-0 in their first two matches, but they were then held to a 1-1 draw by Celta Vigo before the September international break.

Marcelino's side have since suffered back-to-back defeats, going down 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in Spain's top flight on September 13, before losing 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Yellow Submarine have seven points to show from their opening four league games of the season, which has left them in sixth spot in the table, five points behind the leaders Real Madrid.

Villarreal have won 22 of their previous 50 matches against Osasuna in all competitions, and they are unbeaten against Saturday's opponents since March 2022.

The corresponding match last season brought a 4-2 victory for Villarreal, but two of the last three league meetings between the two sides have finished all square, including a 2-2 draw last November.

Osasuna won three straight La Liga games against Villarreal between April 2021 and March 2022, which included two away successes, so they know what it takes to triumph in this particular fixture.

Los Rojillos have picked up six points from their four league matches this season, which has left them in ninth spot in the division, one point behind sixth-placed Villarreal.

Alessio Lisci's side opened their 2025-26 campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid, but they bounced back five days later, beating Valencia 1-0 in front of their own supporters.

Osasuna were then on the wrong end of a 1-0 result against Espanyol, but they will enter this match off the back of a win, having beaten Rayo Vallecano 2-0 in front of their own supporters last time out.

Los Rojillos finished ninth in Spain's top flight last season, level on points with eighth-placed Rayo Vallecano, and they could potentially push for Europe once again during the 2025-26 campaign.

Villarreal La Liga form:

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Villarreal form (all competitions):

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Osasuna La Liga form:

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Team News

Villarreal will be missing Logan Costa, Willy Kambwala and Pau Cabanes through injury, while Gerard Moreno remains a doubt for the Yellow Submarine.

Head coach Marcelino is expected to make a couple of changes to the side that started against Tottenham, with Alfonso Pedraza in line to feature at left-back, while Dani Parejo could be reintroduced in the middle of midfield.

Ayoze Perez's fitness is being carefully managed due to his recent injury problems, but the Spaniard is set to continue in the final third of the field, with Tani Oluwaseyi potentially featuring off the bench.

As for Osasuna, Aimar Oroz is missing due to a foot injury, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape, with Moi Gomez expected to overcome a muscular problem to make the squad.

Ante Budimir started on the bench against Rayo, but the experienced striker is set to return in the final third of the field, with Raul Garcia likely to move into a wide area.

Iker Munoz could also be introduced in the final third of the field, but Lucas Torro and Jon Moncayola are likely to continue in the middle of the away side's midfield.

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Junior; Mourino, Veiga, Foyth, Pedraza; Buchanan, Parejo, Gueye, Pepe; Mikautadze, Perez

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; Catena, Boyomo, Cruz; Rosier, Torro, Moncayola, Bretones; Ruben Garcia, Budimir, Munoz

We say: Villarreal 2-1 Osasuna

Villarreal need to bounce back after successive defeats, and we fancy the Yellow Submarine to navigate their way to a narrow victory, but Osasuna have the quality to make it a tough match for the hosts.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.