Barcelona can clinch the La Liga title on Saturday night if it beats Osasuna and results elsewhere go its way. Hansi Flick's side would be confirmed as back-to-back champions if Real Madrid also slips up, with Espanyol set to face Madrid on Sunday night.
The stakes are clear because Barcelona are trying to finish off a title race they have largely controlled. They are 11 points ahead of Real Madrid with five games remaining and have won nine straight league matches since losing to Girona in February. They also beat Getafe last week, keeping their momentum intact at the point of the season when a single misstep can still matter.
Osasuna arrive with something to play for as well. They beat Sevilla with a last-gasp victory last time out after a three-game winless slide and sit two points behind Getafe in sixth place, keeping European qualification within reach. They were beaten 2-0 in the reverse fixture, but Barcelona learned last season how difficult this trip can be after losing 4-2 at the Estadio El Sadar.
That is the tension in Saturday's match: Barcelona can wrap up the league, but Osasuna are strong at home and still fighting for a place in Europe. The season has already carried one major disappointment for Flick's team, too, after their Champions League exit to Atlético Madrid left La Liga as the final prize worth sealing.
Barcelona will be without Iker Benito, who ruptured his ACL in October and is not expected back until the start of next season at the earliest. For Osasuna, the absence only deepens the sense that this is a late-season test they must manage without one of their long-term options, while Barcelona know this is the sort of night titles are either won or delayed.
