Osasuna will welcome Athletic Bilbao to Estadio El Sadar this Thursday, with this meeting being their fourth meeting in this calendar year.

Both sides are still fighting for a place in Europe and can take a giant step towards their aim with a win here.

Extra time was needed to separate them after two Copa del Rey semi-final legs earlier this year, with Osasuna progressing to the final but ultimately losing to Real Madrid.

So a top-seven finish will be the only remaining path to continental action for the hosts, who currently sit in tenth position, three points behind their visitors in seventh.

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So with three games to go, this is a must-win for them if they still want to play European football next season. Having drawn 0-0 in the reverse fixture, Jagoba Arrasate’s Osasuna would jump ahead of their rivals on the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win here.

However, four losses from their last five games (W1) show they are outsiders in this tie. Yet Bilbao’s one win from their last five games (D1, L3) doesn’t make them clear favourites.

But their record of five wins from their last seven La Liga visits to this stadium should give them confidence. 

A decent away form this year should also serve as a morale booster, as Bilbao have picked up more La Liga wins on the road (W4, D3, L4) than at home (W3, D2, L5) since the World Cup.

Meanwhile, two of the last eight H2Hs in all competitions produced more than 2.5 total goals. So an under 2.5 goals bet is advisable for this game.