Osasuna pulled off a stunning upset, defeating La Liga leaders Barcelona 4-2 at home on Saturday, ending their perfect start to the season. The victory was fueled by a brilliant performance from Bryan Zaragoza, the lightning-fast forward on loan from Bayern Munich. Zaragoza, known for his dazzling speed and dribbling skills, first set up Ante Budimir for the opening goal in the 17th minute with a precise cross. He then showcased his individual brilliance in the 28th minute, rounding goalkeeper Iñaki Peña to make it 2-0 with a display of fancy high-speed dribbling.
Barcelona, who were fielding three youth players, pulled one back in the 53rd minute through Pau Víctor. However, Budimir secured the result in the 72nd minute by converting a penalty. Osasuna then added two more goals to solidify their victory, with Abel Bretones making it 4-1 in the 85th minute and Lamine Yamal, who came on as a substitute, scoring Barcelona’s second goal.
Barcelona’s defeat marked their first loss in eight games across all competitions, ending their pursuit of a record-breaking start to the season. The Catalans had won their first seven league matches and were hoping to equal a club record for consecutive wins set in 2013. The loss also comes on the heels of their 2-1 defeat to Monaco in the Champions League last week.
Despite the setback, Barcelona remain at the top of the La Liga table, four points ahead of Real Madrid. Osasuna, meanwhile, climbed to sixth place, extending their unbeaten run at home this season with four wins and a draw.
Zaragoza, who had a breakout season with Granada in 2022-23, scoring 11 goals before being signed by Bayern Munich, has returned to La Liga on loan from the German giants. His goal against Barcelona was his first since his return. He expressed his satisfaction with the performance, saying, “We had to go out there to bite.”
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick rotated his squad for the match, leaving key players like Raphinha, Iñigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde on the bench. He also gave starts to young players like Sergi Dominguez, Pau Cubarsi, and Gerard Martín, hoping to manage their busy schedule. However, the inexperienced backline struggled to contain Osasuna’s attacks.
“It is normal that we have rotations, we play lots of games,” said Barcelona’s Pedri Gonzalez. “It can’t be an excuse. The 11 of us had to go out there ready to play, but the halftime score was too much.”
Barcelona will now turn their attention to their Champions League match against Young Boys on Tuesday. Other notable results from the La Liga weekend include Real Sociedad’s 3-0 win over Valencia and Getafe’s 2-0 victory over Alaves.
