Levante vs Osasuna: High-Stakes La Liga Clash

On 8 May 2026, Estadio Ciudad de Valencia stages a high‑stakes La Liga clash as 19th‑placed Levante host 10th‑placed Osasuna in Round 35 of the regular season. For Levante, marooned in the relegation zone on 33 points, every remaining home game feels like a cup final. Osasuna, sitting mid‑table on 42 points, are not mathematically safe from being dragged into late drama above the drop, but their primary motivation is to consolidate a solid season and push for a top‑half finish.

With four rounds left, the pressure lines are clear: Levante must turn their home ground into a fortress; Osasuna need to overcome their away-day frailties to avoid an anxious run-in.

Form, context and stakes

In the league, Levante’s campaign has been defined by inconsistency and defensive vulnerability. Across all phases they have 8 wins, 9 draws and 17 defeats from 34 matches, with a goal difference of -17 (38 scored, 55 conceded). At home they have been marginally better: 5 wins, 5 draws and 7 losses from 17, scoring 21 and conceding 26. That still translates to just 1.2 goals scored and 1.5 conceded on average per home match – not the profile of a side that can coast to safety.

The form guide hints at volatility rather than steady revival. Their last five league results read “LDWWL”: two wins in that sequence suggest they can still find a performance, but the broader season form string is littered with losing runs, including a maximum losing streak of five. Levante’s margin for error is minimal; survival likely demands at least one more strong home surge.

Osasuna arrive in Valencia in a relatively calmer position, 10th with 42 points and a narrow goal difference of -2 (40 for, 42 against). Their problem is starkly split between home and away. In Pamplona they have been robust: 9 wins, 5 draws, just 3 defeats, with 29 goals scored and 20 conceded (1.7 scored and 1.2 conceded per game). Away from home, however, they have struggled badly: 2 wins, 4 draws and 11 defeats, scoring only 11 and conceding 22 in 17 matches – an average of 0.6 goals scored on the road.

Recent form – “LWLDD” – shows only one win in five, and that travel sickness keeps pulling them back towards the pack. Still, they possess a more balanced overall record than Levante and, crucially, a clearer attacking reference point.

Tactical outlook: Levante’s urgency vs Osasuna’s structure

Levante’s season data points to a side that has tried several shapes in search of stability. Their most-used system is 4‑2‑3‑1 (11 games), followed closely by 4‑4‑2 (10) and 4‑1‑4‑1 (7). That range tells a story: a coach oscillating between protecting a fragile back line and adding an extra attacker to chase goals.

At home, where they average 1.2 goals, Levante are likely to lean into a 4‑2‑3‑1 or 4‑4‑2 to maximise presence around the box. The key attacking figure is 20‑year‑old forward Carlos Espí, their top scorer with 9 league goals from just 996 minutes. His efficiency is striking: 32 shots, 19 on target, and a respectable 6.86 average rating. Espí is not a penalty taker (0 scored, 0 missed), so his output is coming from open play – an important detail for a team that has only been awarded two penalties all season, both converted.

Espí’s profile suggests a penalty‑box forward who can also carry the ball: 22 dribble attempts with 10 successes and 5 key passes underline a willingness to attack defenders directly. Around him, Levante will need wide players and an advanced midfielder to attack second balls and exploit Osasuna’s discomfort away from home. However, the absence list complicates that plan.

Levante are without C. Alvarez (injury), K. Arriaga (suspension for yellow cards), A. Primo (shoulder injury) and I. Romero (muscle injury). Dela, U. Elgezabal and K. Tunde are all questionable with muscle or knee problems. That cluster of absences and doubts, especially if it affects central areas, may push Levante towards a more conservative double pivot to protect a back four that already concedes 1.6 goals per game across all phases.

Osasuna, by contrast, have a much clearer structural identity. Their dominant shape is also 4‑2‑3‑1 (19 games), but they have regularly switched to back‑three systems – 3‑4‑3 (7), 3‑4‑2‑1 and 3‑5‑2 – to manage game states and opponents. Given Levante’s desperation and Osasuna’s away record, a compact 4‑2‑3‑1 or a 3‑4‑3 designed to spring counters seems likely.

The tactical fulcrum is Ante Budimir. The Croatian striker has 16 league goals in 33 appearances, a shot volume of 76 (36 on target), and a physical presence (190 cm, 339 duels, 161 won) that makes him a constant outlet. He is also heavily involved in the box: 12 key passes, 33 fouls drawn, and a capacity to pin centre-backs and bring others into play.

From the spot, Budimir is a high‑usage taker rather than flawless: 6 penalties scored and 2 missed. That record still makes him a serious threat if Osasuna can generate contact in the Levante area, but it is not perfect – a nuance that matters in late‑season pressure moments.

Osasuna’s attacking challenge is translating their strong home output to the road. With 11 away goals all season and 11 away matches in which they have failed to score, they often rely on defensive solidity and set‑pieces. Their clean‑sheet record (7 overall, 2 away) suggests they can keep things tight, but they rarely blow teams away on their travels.

Injury-wise, Osasuna are without V. Munoz (muscle injury), and A. Oroz is questionable. That slightly narrows their options between the lines but does not alter the centrality of Budimir to their game plan.

Head‑to‑head: Osasuna edge the recent duels

Looking at the last five competitive meetings in La Liga (no friendlies included), Osasuna have the upper hand:

• 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)

Over these five, Osasuna have 3 wins, Levante 1, and there has been 1 draw. Notably, Osasuna have won the last two encounters, including the reverse fixture in December 2025 where they led 2‑0 by half-time and closed the game professionally. Levante’s only win in this run came away at El Sadar in 2020.

At Estadio Ciudad de Valencia specifically, Levante have not beaten Osasuna in their last two home league meetings (0‑0 and 0‑1), underscoring how awkward the visitors have been as an opponent.

The verdict

All the data points to a tense, low‑margin contest shaped by Levante’s urgency and Osasuna’s away limitations.

Levante’s home numbers (5 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses; 21‑26 goals) and their defensive record suggest they will concede chances, but their survival drive and the emergence of Carlos Espí give them a puncher’s chance. The injury and suspension list, though, may thin their options to change the game from the bench.

Osasuna are clearly the more balanced side across all phases, with a superior league position, better overall goal difference and a genuine elite finisher in Ante Budimir. Yet their away record – 2 wins from 17 and an anaemic 0.6 goals per game – makes it hard to back them with full conviction on the road, especially against a desperate opponent.

Expect Levante to start aggressively, pressing higher and feeding Espí early, while Osasuna sit in a compact block, look for Budimir on early deliveries and try to exploit transitions. Given Osasuna’s H2H edge but chronic away struggles, and Levante’s must‑win context but fragile defence, the most logical projection is a tight, hard‑fought draw, with a slight lean towards a narrow home win if Espí can tilt the balance in the box.