La Liga

Royal Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has said he does not support the idea of having La Liga's table stand as it is if the season cannot be completed, meaning leaders Barcelona would not be handed the title.

He spoke after UEFA announced on Tuesday its intent for all seasons to be completed by June 30 amid the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic:

Per Alfredo Matilla of AS, Rubiales said: "The 19-20 season has to end with the same rules and not change, although the situation is exceptional. I cannot guarantee that the competition will end, as others have risked saying, before June 30. It is unfair that the competition ends with the classification as it is now."

"Competitions will have to be completed if possible by June 30 although this is not a red line," he added, per Tom Allnutt of the Agence France-Presse. "We'll fight for what is fair to ensure the league reflects what happens on the pitch."

Allnutt relayed further comments from Rubiales:

June 30 is the typical cut-off point at the end of the season for Europe's top five leagues and others that run from August to May, as reflected in player contracts.

Extending the 2019-20 season beyond that date would be problematic in part because a number of players' contracts expire at that point.

However, as ESPN's Dale Johnson noted, finishing the season by June 30 will also be difficult amid the outbreak of COVID-19:

Johnson suggested alternative ways of deciding the final standings won't be easily completed either:

Barcelona hold a two-point lead over Real Madrid in La Liga with 11 matches of the season remaining. The lead atop the table has changed hands between the pair in each of the last three matchdays.

Los Blancos have the superior head-to-head record after they beat Barcelona 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, having played out a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in December.

Further down the table, Getafe are outside the UEFA Champions League places on goals scored, as they have the same points and goal difference as fourth-place Real Sociedad. They beat La Real earlier in the campaign, but head-to-head record only comes into play once they've faced off twice.

Atletico Madrid are only one point behind Getafe and Real Sociedad and two points adrift of third-place Sevilla.

At the bottom of the table, 20th-place Espanyol are six points from safety, while Real Mallorca and Leganes are one and three points from safety, respectively.

On Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Spain exceeded 11,000, with a death toll of 491, per Reuters. Only China, Italy and Iran have been hit harder.

Barcelona have reportedly made it a "priority" to tie Marc-Andre ter Stegen down to a new contract in the coming months. 

According to Marca's M. Carmen Torres, the club opened talks over fresh terms for the goalkeeper earlier in the season, but while negotiations are said to have progressed "very well," much is still to be agreed including the length of the new deal.

Ter Stegen has two years remaining on his current deal, and Barca want to tie him down until at least 2025. At the end of such a contract, he would be 33.

The 'keeper and his family are said to be settled and happy at Barcelona, and as such he wants to remain at the club.

He'll also be offered a salary reflecting his status as a key player at the Camp Nou.

Ter Stegen signed for Barcelona from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 for €12 million, and he has been a bargain for the Blaugrana.

He spent his first two seasons at the Camp Nou serving as their goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey, while Claudio Bravo handled La Liga duties.

After the Chilean left for Manchester City in 2016, the German became the club's No. 1. He has since developed into one of the world's best goalkeepers.

Few in his position can rival his technical ability, which makes him perfectly suited to Barcelona's play.

Sports writer and commentator Andy West observed his importance to the team after their 2-1 win over Getafe in February:

The Spanish Football Podcast similarly sang his praises the following week as Barca beat Eibar 5-0:

He's an excellent shot-stopper, too, which he demonstrated in Barcelona's 2-0 Clasico defeat to Real Madrid on March 1:

Ter Stegen was unfortunate to concede Vinicius Jr.'s opener for Los Blancos in that contest, which deflected past him off Gerard Pique.

He's a vital player at the Camp Nou, arguably second only to Lionel Messi in terms of his importance to the side, so it's crucial they secure his long-term future at the club.

In 224 appearances for Barcelona, he has kept 94 clean sheets.

UEFA's decision to postpone Euro 2020 for a year in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus won't impact Ronald Koeman's chances of becoming Barcelona manager.

Koeman, who is in charge of the Netherlands, has explained the clause in his contract to take over at the Camp Nou isn't affected, per Marca: "The clause in my contract to go to Barcelona is for after the European Championship. No date has been mentioned, so now it's after the European Championship in 2021. But I haven't thought about it for a second anyway."

UEFA took the decision to move this summer's tournament Tuesday, with European football's governing body seeking to provide club leagues across the continent the chances to finish their seasons:

Play in top divisions has been halted throughout Europe in response to what the World Health Organisation has declared a pandemic. England's Premier League and Serie A in Italy have suspended matches until at least April 3.

Things have also come to a standstill in Spain's La Liga, the Dutch Eredivisie and the French top flight, Ligue 1. Settling issues such as the destination of the title and relegation in each of these competitions remains a pressing concern for UEFA.

Barca will be following developments closely, with the Blaugrana a mere two points ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Even so, the sense remains all is not well at the Camp Nou.

Quique Setien was chosen to replace Ernesto Valverde in the dugout back in January. Setien, who used to be in charge of Real Betis, signed a deal set to last for two-and-a-half years.

However, the 61-year-old hasn't enjoyed the fastest start in the job, losing El Clasico 2-0 to Real and also seeing his team held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16.

Goals have even dried up for attacking talisman Lionel Messi on Setien's watch, while the manager has struggled to coax consistency from €120 million summer arrival Antoine Griezmann:

Any doubts about Setien will likely fuel talk of Koeman taking over. The former Ajax, Southampton and Everton boss has experienced something of a career revival since taking the international job in February 2018.

Failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup underlined the scale of the job in front of Koeman. To his credit, the 56-year-old has got key players such as Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum back into form:

While he's enjoying success with his nation, Koeman can leave the job if Barcelona were to make an approach after the Euros. It would likely be a tempting move for the man who secured Barca's first European Cup win when he scored from a free-kick to beat Sampdoria after extra time at Wembley Stadium in 1992.

Koeman has done his chances of landing a job at a top European club no harm with his performances for the Netherlands. Yet his primary focus will be on guiding a gifted generation of players led by Wijnaldum and his Liverpool team-mate centre-back Virgil van Dijk to international success.

If club seasons are able to be completed before then, Setien will have the chance to show Barca chiefs why he should be allowed to at least see out his contract.

In March 2017, Atletico Madrid played Bayer Leverkusen in a UEFA Champions League knockout tie. It was one of Atletico's final European Cup games at the old Vicente Calderon Stadium, and they were defending a 4-2 lead from the first leg in Germany.

Midway through the second half—with the teams scoreless—Atletico Madrid central defender Jose Maria Gimenez coughed up possession with a lax crossfield pass. Julian Brandt, a German international, took the gift and bore down on goal. Once he got inside the box, he pulled the trigger, but Jan Oblak saved his shot. 

The ball fell to the left foot of Brandt's fellow German international teammate Kevin Volland, but a despairing lunge from Oblak stopped his shot from going in, too. The rebound fell to Volland again. He controlled the ball with two touches and fired a shot across the other side of the goal, but again—miraculously—Oblak dived to save.

Three shots, three seconds, three saves. The Calderon went crazy. For Oblak, though, he was just taking care of business, as he did by famously stopping Thomas Muller's penalty in the 2016 UEFA Champions League semi-final and by pulling off several brilliant saves against Liverpool at Anfield last week. 

"Oblak thinks that to stop the ball is his job," says Ladislao J. Monino, a journalist with El Pais. "Whenever he has good performances, he always just says that he's there to do that. It's something about his character. He never puts pressure on himself. His sense of tranquillity is striking. It helps with his positioning.

"Of the great goalkeepers in the world at the moment—Ter Stegen, Oblak, Courtois, Alisson—Oblak is the best at positioning himself. If Oblak can clear his area and make a save, he does it, but he also often holds onto the ball. At Atletico, they call him 'Pincers' because he catches so many balls. Every time he can, he gathers the ball. It's a great strength.

"Here's a guy who comes from the Balkans. They've always been known for the high standard of their players—whether it's football or other sports like basketball or handball. Their mentality is perfect for elite competition. It often seems like they're older than their years.

"If you remember, Oblak moved to Benfica as a 17-year-old in 2010. He already had a lot of teams scouting him while he was playing in Slovenia by that stage. Once he got to Portugal, Benfica put him out on loan at Beira-Mar, but he was put straight into their starting XI. He has a lot of personality."

Oblak finished his Portuguese adventure in 2014 by winning a domestic treble with Benfica, although his team—which included Everton's Andre Gomes and Valencia's pair of Ezequiel Garay and Rodrigo—came up short against Sevilla in a penalty shootout in that season's UEFA Europa League final.

Atletico paid a reported fee of €16 million for him, which made him La Liga's most expensive goalkeeper in history, although it took a while for his train to leave the station. He arrived with a back injury and was unable to nail down a starting position.  

"Oblak's beginnings in Madrid were complicated," says Fran Guillen, a Madrid-based author and football journalist. "For months, he was a substitute behind Miguel Angel Moya in his first season at Atletico. He only played 11 league games that season, and when he made his Champions League debut in Greece, playing against Olympiacos [in a 3-2 defeat], he was lousy. It was probably his worst game as an Atletico player.

"Oblak had come as a bet from Andrea Berta, Atletico's sporting director. I remember seeing him in that Benfica team in the 2014 Europa League final against Sevilla, and I have to admit that he seemed like a good goalkeeper, but nothing particularly spectacular. His mission was to make us forget about Thibaut Courtois, who had set the bar very high at Atleti. It seemed like a big ask for him, but he has ended up exceeding it by far."

Oblak has helped Atletico to three trophies, including a UEFA Europa League title in 2018, though the other two are UEFA and Spanish Super Cups that wouldn't be considered major trophies.

In Spain, he's been imperious, having won the prestigious Zamora Trophy—the prize awarded to La Liga's best goalkeeper—for the last four seasons in a row. In November 2018, he became the fastest goalkeeper (178 games) in the history of the Spanish league to reach 100 clean sheets. It took Iker Casillas 306 games, for example, to reach that mark.

"In the France Football Ballon d'Or awards, they included a category for goalkeepers for the first time last year," says Alfredo Relano, honorary president of Diario AS. "I selected Alisson first in the voting and Oblak second.

"They asked us to consider the titles the players had won, as well as their performance in big matches. Allison had won the Champions League with Liverpool [and the Copa America with Brazil]. This year, I will probably put them in a different order.

"The performance of Oblak in Liverpool, for example, gives him such merit when you consider the conditions. It was a very difficult match for him, very demanding. He was under a lot of pressure, but he never lost his composure. He was amazing. He's a sensational goalkeeper."

Atletico recognise his value. One of Diego Simeone's criteria for renewing his latest contract as manager was a commitment from the club to hold on to Oblak. When it came to Oblak's own lengthy contract renewal negotiations, Atletico tied him down in 2019 by making him the club's highest-paid player now on its books (although there is some mystery about Joao Felix's exact salary) and by setting Oblak's release clause at €120 million.

"When he signed a large contract renewal last year, it included a promise that Atletico would remain competitive at the highest level," says Guillen. "In addition, the club has emphasised the onus it has in keeping him happy, and in retaining team-mates with whom he feels comfortable alongside, and, even, keeping his agent, Miha Mlakar—who, curiously, is also the representative of [Atletico's young Serbian striker] Ivan Saponjic—happy."

Oblak, 27, has become one of the team's leaders. According to Monino, it is only the symbolism of Koke, with his homegrown "madrileno" roots, that stands in the way of Oblak being made club captain. Oblak exudes a natural authority. He speaks rarely, but his team-mates listen when he does.

His position as a shot-stopper in a team that is built on defence increases his importance to Atletico's project, as alluded to in Simeone's post-match comments after the club's heroic win at Anfield: "Barcelona has Messi who wins matches for them, and we have Oblak, the best goalkeeper in the world, who wins matches for us."

"There have been a few moments where it looked like as if Oblak would leave Atleti," says Euan McTear, author of Hijacking La Liga: How Atletico Madrid Broke Barcelona and Real Madrid's Duopoly on Spanish Football. "The problem for him is that Atletico really need to start winning silverware. It's a similar problem that they had with [Antoine] Griezmann.

"Oblak knows that winning trophies with Atletico would be more special than leaving and winning with, say, Manchester City or Bayern Munich. He knows that staying and winning the Champions League or a league title with Atletico would mean more, but there might come a point where he thinks it's not possible.

"After a few games this season, he was stressing that, 'We need to win trophies; we need a good project.' The reason he stayed last summer was because he was not only given a good contract, but he was promised that Atletico would go sign good players. They tried to do that, but the jury is out on whether they're good enough.

"I'm sure Oblak felt frustrated when there was that stretch in the season where everything was falling apart. [After winning their opening three Liga matches, Atletico won only three of their next 12.] He was looking around and he's got the likes of [new starting left-back] Renan Lodi and he's thinking: Is he going to be the real deal? Can this guy Mario Hermoso be a central defender for Atletico? Is Joao Felix up front going to deliver like Griezmann?

"I'm sure those kinds of thoughts were going through his head at Anfield as well. He must have been thinking: I'm doing all I can, but who's going to go up and score? But at Anfield they did go up and score. With the second Marcos Llorente goal, you can see Oblak sprinted from his own goal all the way to the corner where everybody was celebrating.

"There's a video from a fan in the stands, and you just see this man in yellow sprinting past some of Atletico's midfielders to get there first. You can see how much it means to him."

Follow Richard on Twitter: @Richard_Fitz

Barcelona will reportedly consider selling France international duo Samuel Umtiti and Ousmane Dembele in the summer transfer window. 

According to Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport, Barcelona are ready to cash in on Umtiti and an "unknown club" is already said to have made an offer. Manchester United are noted as potential suitors for the defender, who has struggled with injuries in recent campaigns.

"Barca want to bring in €130 million in the summer ,and selling Umtiti will be key to hitting that target. The club also have not hidden the fact they are looking for a new left-sided centre-back: A younger player who earns much less than the French international," Miguelsainz wrote.

Dembele is another who has struggled with injury problems, and Barcelona have lost faith in him, according to Juan Jimenez of AS.

Jimenez reported Barcelona advised him the 2019-20 season would be his final opportunity to stake a claim for a first-team spot. Dembele has only made three starts in La Liga this season, with a number of injury problems ravaging his chances of regular football.

Both players have talent in abundance, although it appears increasingly likely that their fitness problems will cost them their long-term futures at the Camp Nou.

For Umtiti, it's been a major fall from grace. After joining Barcelona in 2016, he went on to establish himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world, and he was crucial in France's 2018 FIFA World Cup win. Since that summer, he's made just 25 La Liga starts.

Some fans are in favour of Umtiti being sold:

Dembele arrived a year after his compatriot, with Barcelona spending £135.5 million to secure his signature from Borussia Dortmund after the sale of Neymar. His Camp Nou career has been one of frustration, though.

At times, Dembele has lit up the team with his searing speed and outrageous talent. But time after time his body has let him down, meaning his game time has been limited, and when he has come back into the team, he's found it hard to establish rhythm.

After his most recent problem in February—a serious hamstring tear that's set to sideline the forward for six months—ESPN FC reflected on all the issues Dembele has had:

Barcelona's reported willingness to move both players on makes sense, as they each look as though they would benefit from a fresh start.

However, they will each be on significant wages and still have time to run on their contracts. Dembele's runs until 2022, while Umtiti is tied down until 2023. It means Barcelona would still likely command a sizeable fee for both players, while the players themselves would surely want parity in salary before moving too.

Spanish football club Valencia have announced 35 percent of their players and staff who have been tested for the coronavirus have returned a positive test. 

Los Che announced the news on Monday, adding all cases are asymptomatic and urging people to stay home and isolate themselves:

"Several further tests for the COVID-19 coronavirus amongst Valencia CF coaching staff and players have come back positive. All cases are asymptomatic and those involved are currently isolated at home, receiving medical assessment and carrying out their scheduled training plan.

[…]

"Valencia CF would like to take this opportunity to insist that the population stay in their homes and strictly follow previously published hygiene and infection prevention measures. We also wish to express our confidence in our healthcare system and the recommendations by the Ministry of Health for those cases of coronavirus infection being treated with isolation."

Per sportswriter Sam Marsden, Valencia reported five cases on Sunday, noting the lack of symptoms highlights the importance of staying home even when feeling well:

The Spanish club traveled to Milan for a UEFA Champions League match against Atalanta on February 19. Milan is the capital of Lombardy, one of the regions hit hardest by the virus.

Per CNN, Italy has the second-highest number of reported cases of and deaths from the virus, with 24,747 people infected so far.

The two clubs met again in Valencia on March 10 in an empty Estadio Mestalla. Atalanta beat Valencia 4-3 in a spectacular contest, capping off an 8-4 aggregate win to advance to the quarter-finals:

It was the last time either team was in action, with both La Liga and Serie A postponed while Spanish and Italian authorities deal with the crisis.

Barcelona are reportedly looking to strengthen in four key positions during this summer's transfer window, with the Blaugrana said to be seeking reinforcements in all areas of the squad.

Quique Setien's side led La Liga by two points before Spanish football organisers decided to suspend the season for two matchdays in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport wrote Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu met with the club's sporting directors in February after they were given emergency clearance to sign striker Martin Braithwaite from Leganes.

Barcelona are understood to be in the hunt for a centre-back, a goalscoring striker, an anchoring midfielder and a full-back, preferably a right-back.

Setien is said to have approved of the targets compiled by technical secretary Eric Abidal and his assistant, Ramon Planes.

The Catalan giants announced in January 2020 that a €31 million deal had been struck to sign 20-year-old winger Trincao from Braga, but the youngster isn't set to join from Braga until July.

Nelson Semedo joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2017 and has exchanged playing time this season with Sergi Roberto. The latter—a graduate of La Masia—has a little more than two years left on his contract, and Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi suggested he's not an essential component:

BT Sport remembered Roberto's most famous moment in Barcelona colours, though the 28-year-old isn't certain to remain a long-term fixture at the club:

Recruiting a striker remains a priority despite Braithwaite's winter arrival, with Setien having to deal without frontman Luis Suarez since he underwent knee surgery in January.

Miguelsanz also mentioned Barcelona's apparent interest in Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, who received praise from Lionel Messi in an interview with Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sport):

"He's spectacular. He's got a lot of impressive qualities. I can see he's going to become a great player, he's exploded onto the scene now and is showing what he's capable of. He's very strong, beats his man and scores goals. He'll fight with anyone in the box, holds onto the ball, and can produce moments by himself. He's got a lot of quality and is a very complete player."

It's also natural the Blaugrana will have one eye on the future of Sergio Busquets, though the 31-year-old's contract doesn't expire until 2023.

The type of midfielder said to be a priority this summer fits the mould of an heir to the Spain star, with none of the club's current options offering the same physicality and presence in the role. Yaya Toure is cited as a comparable player to the target they're seeking, which will encourage many at the Camp Nou.

Football writer Muhammad Butt commented on the club's misuse of Frenkie de Jong since he joined from Ajax in July 2019:

It's also mentioned that the club's preference is to sign a left-footed centre-back, though it could be one of Clement Lenglet or Samuel Umtiti is sold by the club in order to raise funds before that can happen.

Bartomeu is expected to make strong moves in the summer transfer market with presidential elections approaching at the Camp Nou in June 2021.

Getafe have reportedly used their €6 million option to sign Barcelona loanee Marc Cucurella amid rumours Chelsea, Napoli, Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen are all tracking the youngster.

According to Marca's Luis F. Rojo, the Catalans no longer have an option to buy Cucurella back as they did during a previous spell at Eibar. The Basques signed the La Masia product after a loan spell, but Barcelona immediately brought him back.

They then sent him on loan to Getafe in a similar deal that included a 40 percent sell-on clause. That could come in handy given the level of interest in the 21-year-old:

Per Sport, Cucurella criticised his parent club for not giving youngsters a fair chance earlier this season, and at that point, a return to the Camp Nou seemed unlikely.

The €6 million clause was seen as a bargain given the strong form he has shown this season:

Originally a left-back, Getafe have mainly used him as a winger in their 4-4-2 formation. With his excellent range and two-way ability, he has proven a perfect fit for their aggressive, tenacious style of play.

His only goal of the La Liga season came in the win over Real Valladolid:

Getafe will have a tricky choice to make in the next transfer window if the market for Cucurella heats up. With a reported buyout clause of €25 million, he could net the club a quick profit, even if they have to give 40 percent of that fee to Barcelona.

For a club like Chelsea, such a fee would be a minor investment in a talented prospect with tons of experience in La Liga already and plenty of room for growth. The versatility he has shown this season only adds to his appeal, and the buyout clause means his price is fixed.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has said he's convinced the 2019-20 domestic season will resume and finish in full despite the delays caused as a result of the coronavirus.

Most professional sports have postponed schedules in areas where cases of COVID-19 have been detected, and La Liga confirmed on Thursday that games would be suspended for the next two matchdays.

Tebas, 57, told Cope (h/t Goal): "I am convinced that we are going to end the season. We are working with other leagues to match dates."

Spain's government is poised to begin a 15-day national lockdown on Monday in response to the COVID-19 threat, putting the future of the country's sport competitions in doubt.

The Spanish Football Podcast provided a translation of Tebas' initial response to the coronavirus (March 10) and his apparent reluctance to suspend playing activities at the time:

Spanish football writer Alexandra Jonson criticised the president for his delay in making a decision:

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus threat a pandemic on March 12, per Jamie Gumbrecht and Jacqueline Howard of CNN.

Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez of ESPN FC reported on Wednesday that Real Madrid players had been put in self-isolation after one of the club's basketball players tested positive for the coronavirus.

Barcelona—who are two points clear at the table summit—also announced all first-team activity had been suspended at the Camp Nou after La Liga was suspended.

Valencia published a statement (h/t Marca's Diego Pico) confirming five members of staff had tested positive for the respiratory illness, including players Jose Luis Gaya, Ezequiel Garay and Eliaquim Mangala.

More than 150,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded worldwide as of March 15, leading to 5,720 deaths, per CNN.

Tebas added there had been confirmed cases in La Liga's offices: "In La Liga we have had two positives and we have spent several weeks with an action plan, 95 percent of the staff are teleworking."

Barcelona are seeking their third consecutive league title, a feat they haven't accomplished since they won three straight league crowns between 2009 and 2011.

Osasuna forward Chimy Avila has said he wasn't focused on transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla in January, and he would love to play with Blaugrana forward Lionel Messi.

Per Marca (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner), the 26-year-old was linked with all three clubs after a great start to the season, but an untimely injury put an end to the transfer talk.

A move could be possible when he returns to full health: "I was only thinking about achieving survival with Osasuna. I didn't think about those things. Maybe when I'm back my agent he will tell me things."

He was also asked about Barcelona star Messi, saying everyone wants to play alongside him: "Everyone would like to play with him because he's the best in the world. But it's not a dream, as such. All of this has to be overcome first, but it could happen with the national team as well [as at Barcelona]."

The Catalans were among the favourites to land the in-form striker in January, but those dreams came crashing down when he suffered a season-ending injury against Levante. Barcelona instead signed Martin Braithwaite as attacking depth.

Former Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos and current captain Sergio Ramos were among those who reached out to him after the setback:

Avila scored nine goals and added two assists in La Liga before suffering the injury, emerging as Osasuna's top attacking option during the first half of the season. He was one of the top breakout performers in Spain, and the transfer chatter came as no surprise.

He'll have to rebuild the interest from top clubs once he returns to full health, and even if he does, a switch to the Camp Nou seems unlikely. Barcelona's interest came in large part because of the injury Luis Suarez suffered in January, leaving the Catalans short on depth.

They're expected to invest in a younger, high-upside forward in the summer, with Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez frequently mentioned as their top target:

Lucas Ocampos is the only Sevilla player to have netted more than five La Liga goals so far, explaining the Andalusians' interest in Avila. They will likely keep an eye on him when he returns to action, and a transfer to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the near future would not be a surprise.

Osasuna have won just two matches across all competitions since losing their star man, highlighting just how important he is to the club.