Levante vs Osasuna: La Liga Clash with Relegation Stakes

Estadio Ciudad de Valencia stages a tense La Liga clash on 8 May 2026 as relegation‑threatened Levante host mid‑table Osasuna. With three rounds to go in the 2025 league season, the stakes are brutally clear: Levante sit 19th on 33 points, in the relegation zone, while Osasuna are 10th on 42 points, looking to consolidate a solid campaign but still not mathematically safe from being dragged into the scrap below.

Context and stakes

Across all phases, Levante’s season has been a grind. Eight wins, nine draws and 17 defeats from 34 games, with a goal difference of -17 (38 scored, 55 conceded), underline why they are in deep trouble. Their home record at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia is marginally better – 5 wins, 5 draws and 7 defeats, 21 goals for and 26 against – but still far from fortress levels.

Osasuna, by contrast, have built their 10th‑place platform on strong home form and survival‑level away returns. In the league they have 11 wins, 9 draws and 14 losses, scoring 40 and conceding 42. At El Sadar they are formidable (9‑5‑3, 29‑20), but away from home they have struggled badly: just 2 wins, 4 draws and 11 defeats, with only 11 goals scored and 22 conceded.

Form coming into this one is mixed on both sides. Levante’s official form line reads “LDWWL” in the table – a hint of recent improvement with two wins in their last five, but still no sustained run. Osasuna’s “LWLDD” suggests inconsistency: capable of a big performance, but also prone to dropping points.

For Levante, this fixture is close to must‑win territory. A defeat would leave them relying on results elsewhere; a victory could drag a cluster of teams back into the relegation picture. For Osasuna, one more away win might all but seal a comfortable mid‑table finish.

Tactical outlook: Levante

Levante’s season‑long statistics paint the picture of a side constantly searching for balance. Across all phases, they have used a range of systems, but the 4‑2‑3‑1 (11 times) and 4‑4‑2 (10 times) have been their go‑to shapes, with occasional switches to 4‑1‑4‑1 and even a more conservative 5‑4‑1.

At home, their average of 1.2 goals scored and 1.5 conceded per game tells a familiar story: they can hurt opponents, but they struggle to control games defensively. Eight clean sheets in total (four at home, four away) show they are capable of shutting teams out on their day, yet 55 goals conceded overall – including heavy defeats like 1‑4 at home and 5‑1 away – underline their fragility when the structure breaks.

In attack, the emergence of Carlos Espí has been the bright spot. The 20‑year‑old forward has 9 league goals from just 996 minutes (21 appearances, 9 starts), a superb strike rate. He averages 32 shots with 19 on target, and his duel numbers (159 contests, 75 won) suggest a willing runner who can press from the front and fight for second balls. He has yet to score from the penalty spot (0 scored, 0 missed), so his threat is almost entirely from open play.

Given the stakes and Osasuna’s bluntness away from home, Levante are likely to lean into their more proactive 4‑2‑3‑1. Expect them to press higher than usual, use width to stretch Osasuna’s back line, and try to feed Espí early and often around the box. Their penalty record as a team (2 out of 2 converted this season) suggests they can capitalise if they force errors in the area.

The problem is at the other end. Levante concede an average of 1.6 goals per game across all phases, and their card profile shows a team that can lose composure late on – the largest cluster of yellow cards comes in the 76‑90 minute window (19.23%). In a high‑pressure relegation fight, that tendency to pick up late bookings and the occasional red (notably between 16‑30 and 46‑60 minutes) could be costly.

Tactical outlook: Osasuna

Osasuna arrive with a clearly defined identity. Their primary shape has been 4‑2‑3‑1 (19 matches), but they are comfortable switching into three‑at‑the‑back variants like 3‑4‑3 and 3‑4‑2‑1. That flexibility has underpinned a disciplined defensive structure: 42 goals conceded across all phases (1.2 per game) and seven clean sheets.

Away from home, though, the numbers are stark. Osasuna average just 0.6 goals scored per away match and 1.3 conceded. They have failed to score in 11 away games, a huge figure that hints at a cautious, risk‑averse approach on the road. When they do win away, it tends to be in tight, controlled contests – their biggest away win is 1‑3.

The key attacking reference is Ante Budimir. The Croatian striker has 16 league goals in 33 appearances (31 starts), making him one of La Liga’s most productive forwards this season. He has taken 76 shots, with 36 on target, and is a constant aerial and physical threat (339 duels, 161 won). Budimir is also heavily involved in the penalty area: he has scored 6 penalties but missed 2, so while he is a frequent taker, his record is not flawless from the spot.

Around Budimir, Osasuna rely on structured build‑up and crossing rather than high‑tempo combinational play. Their average of 1.2 goals per game overall is modest, but with a relatively balanced goal difference (-2), they often stay in games long enough for Budimir to make the difference.

Discipline is a subplot. Osasuna’s yellow cards spike in the final quarter of matches (20.73% between 76‑90 minutes), and they have a notable number of red cards late on (especially in the 76‑90 and 91‑105 ranges). In a tense away game, managing that aggression will be crucial.

Head‑to‑head picture

The last five competitive meetings between these sides, all in La Liga, tilt clearly towards Osasuna:

• Osasuna 2‑0 Levante (December 2025, La Liga)
• Osasuna 3‑1 Levante (March 2022, La Liga)
• Levante 0‑0 Osasuna (December 2021, La Liga)
• Levante 0‑1 Osasuna (February 2021, La Liga)
• Osasuna 1‑3 Levante (September 2020, La Liga)

Across these five, Osasuna have 3 wins, Levante 1, and there has been 1 draw. Notably, Levante’s only victory in this run came away at El Sadar; at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia they have taken just one point from the last two home league meetings (0‑0 and 0‑1).

The most recent clash in December 2025 was a comfortable 2‑0 home win for Osasuna, who led 2‑0 at half‑time and never looked in danger. That result will be fresh in both camps’ minds.

Team news and selection issues

Levante’s survival task is complicated by a long absentee list. C. Alvarez, K. Arriaga, A. Primo and I. Romero are all ruled out, through various injuries and suspension (yellow cards for Arriaga). Three more players – Dela, U. Elgezabal and K. Tunde – are listed as questionable with muscle and knee issues. That restricts rotation options in defence and midfield and may push Levante towards familiar structures and trusted starters.

Osasuna’s issues are lighter but not negligible. V. Munoz is definitely out with a muscle injury, while A. Oroz is questionable. With Budimir fit and in form, however, their main attacking plan remains intact.

The verdict

The data points in different directions. Levante are desperate, at home, and have a genuine goal threat in Carlos Espí. Osasuna are poor travellers, often blunt in attack away from Pamplona, and have failed to score in the majority of their away fixtures.

Yet the head‑to‑head trend and overall quality edge sit with Osasuna, who boast one of the league’s top scorers in Budimir and a more stable defensive structure. Levante’s defensive numbers and disciplinary profile make it hard to trust them to manage a tight, nervy contest without errors.

Expect Levante to start on the front foot, driven by the crowd and the stakes, but Osasuna’s organisation and set‑piece threat, combined with Budimir’s presence, give them a strong platform. A low‑scoring draw or a narrow away win feels the most logical outcome, with the margins likely decided by which striker – Espí or Budimir – proves more clinical on the night.