Raphinha will have only just returned to Spain when Barca face Osasuna. The Blaugrana will be stretched, so a stumble could be on the cards.Barcelona will have to play one of their La Liga fixtures during the international break. Hansi Flick isn’t pleased, but can they handle the strain?Barcelona vs OsasunaOddsHalf time/full time – Barcelona/Barcelona1.80Ferran Torres anytime goalscorer5.50Barcelona win and both teams to score2.38Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.Barcelona Weakened but not WeakFlick’s side are about to embark on a spell that will see them play six games in 17 days. He’s not happy about it, and this will test their depth and character, but they have already shown plenty of that. In usual circumstances, a clear Barca win would be expected, however, things might not be so straightforward now.Injuries to players such as Inigo Martinez, Marc Casado and Pau Cubarsi don’t help matters, though the former could be available for the Osasuna match. Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, has been pushing through the pain for Poland. Raphinha and Ronald Araujo will play for Brazil and Uruguay less than 48 hours before Barca’s fixture.That being said, with Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo in their arsenal, Barca are by no means weak. You might not see them so free-flowing or high-scoring, but Osasuna’s form suggests no upset. You may, however, see Gorritxoak make more of a game of it than if it had taken place three weeks prior.The Catalonians are unbeaten in 18 and are yet to lose in 2025, so it’s hard to see Osasuna changing that.Ferran Torres to the RescueLewandowski and Raphinha have been Flick’s top scorers this season, with 35 La Liga goals between them so far. However, there’s a genuine chance that one of them, possibly both, won’t make the starting XI on Thursday. Ferran Torres is perfectly placed to step up.The forward played just 50 minutes of the 210 that Spain played against the Netherlands – successfully converting his penalty as well. He also got two vital goals in his last club outing against Atletico Madrid, and he will be full of confidence. He has played far less football than many of his counterparts, so he will be raring to go.Torres has 13 goals in all competitions this season, sparking talk of a new deal at the Nou Camp. Should he step up to help his team on Thursday, it would certainly boost his cause. After weeks of being used as an impact substitution, he could get his chance from the start here.Barca’s Defensive Reshuffle Could Cause ProblemsFlick may be forced to adjust his backline when Osasuna come to town this week. Cubarsi, a regular at centre back, is a doubt, while Martinez has only just returned to training. Casado, who sits in front of them, is potentially out for the season now – so changes are almost certain.{“type”:”footballco-bet-borg”,”data”:{}}It remains to be seen how the German will line up, and how many risks he’ll take, but Osasuna will see it as an opportunity. They haven’t won many games of late, just two in the last 11, but they did manage to score in eight of them. Only three clubs in the division have been involved in more BTTS games than Los Rojillos – and they scored four past Barca in September.The hosts have hardly been solid at the back of late either – and that’s before their recent availability concerns. They have only kept two clean sheets in their last five across all competitions, conceding seven along the way. At home in La Liga, 63% of their matches have ended with both teams scoring – they just tend to score more.It’d be no shock to see Osasuna give the hosts a hard time on Thursday. Barca will be weakened but should still have enough against a side in 14th and winless in sixth. The fascinating thing will be how Flick sets them up in the first place.+
