Tricky trip demands intensity

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Just five days after their exhibition against Real Madrid, Barça are back in La Liga action with a tricky trip to Pamplona to take on Osasuna (20.00 R@dio Barça).

This is the moment when the players have to show that they can build on that Madrid win and exhibit the same concentration and intensity no matter who the opponent is. As Guardiola has said, this will be a good test for the team at the always complicated Reyno de Navarra Stadium where Osasuna are sure to put in a spirited performance.

Team News
Guardiola makes no changes to his squad who did so well on Monday, with Gaby Milito the only first team absentee and youngster Thiago coming in from the B team. Leo Messi will finally make the game after injury worries all week following a knock he picked up against Madrid.
Osasuna will be without the injured striker Aranda and defender Damia, as well as Ruper and Calleja, whilst veteran front man Walter Pandiani could make his return to the starting line up after an injury lay off.

Form Guide
Osasuna remain unbeaten at home this season, having won four and drawn two games, but their away form has been desperately poor and they remain in mid-table, lying 12th on fifteen points, five above the relegation places. The Basques are in the middle of a tough run of games, with last weekend’s away defeat against Bilbao, the game against Barça and next week’s trip to Valencia.

Barça’s away form has been impeccable with a record six win start to the season on the road, scoring 21 and conceding just 3 goals. Monday’s demolition of Madrid was a clear statement of intent from Guardiola’s team who have now won their last seven league games, scoring 29 goals and conceding just 3.

History
If proof were needed of what a tough place Pamplona is to win at, Barça’s stats tell it all: in the last 10 years, the team have won just three times, drawn five and lost twice. Last year’s game ended 1-1 after a dramatic injury time own goal from Pique robbed Barça of the points, with Keita having put them ahead on 71 minutes, a result www.fcbarcelona.cat called: “unexpected and cruel”.

Ones to watch
David Villa is coming back into his best goal scoring form as his two goals on Monday showed and in all his games against Osasuna he’s so far scored 10 in his fourteen appearances against the Pamplona team. Villa is still a way behind Leo Messi though, who will be looking to add to his 13 league goals so far this season, For Osasuna, the Pamplona born Nacho Monreal is an impressive Spanish international who at just 22 years is one of the Navarran team’s young stars and his match up with Messi promises to be an interesting tousle.