Osasuna’s surprising push for Europe continues on Thursday as they host a floundering Sevilla side at El Sadar. The Pamplona club have quietly climbed from mid-table obscurity into contention for a Conference League spot, closing to within two points of eighth place after back-to-back wins over Girona and Valladolid. Those victories came on the heels of a four-game unbeaten run since their late-March loss to Barcelona—a stretch that has seen Vicente Moreno’s men secure more victories than in their previous 18 outings combined.

Despite their recent momentum, Osasuna’s home form remains a concern: they have kept just two clean sheets in 16 league matches at El Sadar and conceded 23 times. Yet they head into this match unbeaten in seven straight encounters with Sevilla, and a continuation of that record would not only bolster their European hopes but also push their visitors ever closer to the relegation scrap.

For Sevilla, the mood is far darker. A 1-1 draw with Alavés on Sunday finally halted a four-match losing streak under returning manager Joaquín Caparrós, but it did little to restore confidence in a season that has veered between the inept and the alarming. Sitting on 37 points—six clear of the drop yet also six adrift of the European places—Sevilla’s form suggests survival, rather than continental competition, is the priority. Their back line, already stretched by injuries to Tanguy Nianzou and Salas’s suspension, looks as fragile as ever, while top scorer Dodi Lukebakio has gone six games without a goal.

Osasuna, meanwhile, boast one of La Liga’s most balanced front-to-back setups. Ante Budimir, with over 20 goals for the first time in his career, has been clinical in the final third, and goalkeeper Sergio Herrera ranks second in the division for total saves. Their midfield engine, led by Aimar Oroz and veteran Unai García, has managed to keep games competitive even when their defense is breached.

Thursday’s clash promises a battle of contrasting trajectories: a side surging toward the promise of European football against one fighting to keep its top-flight status at arm’s length. If Osasuna’s recent form continues—and if Sevilla’s issues at both ends persist—the hosts should have enough to extend their unbeaten streak and take another step toward a remarkable late-season ascent.

周四奥萨苏纳将在埃尔萨达尔主场迎战处境艰难的塞维利亚，奥萨苏纳出人意料地继续进军欧洲赛场。潘普洛纳俱乐部已经悄悄地从积分榜中游上升到争夺联盟席位，在背靠背战胜赫罗纳和巴利亚多利德后，距离第八名只有2分的差距。这些胜利是继3月底输给巴塞罗那之后的4场不败之后的又一场胜利。在这4场不败中，维森特·莫雷诺的球队取得的胜利比他们之前18场比赛的胜利总和还要多。

尽管最近势头强劲，奥萨苏纳的主场状态仍然令人担忧：他们在埃尔萨达尔的16场联赛中只保持了2场零封，丢了23场球。然而，他们在本场比赛中保持了对塞维利亚七连胜的不败纪录，如果继续保持这一纪录，不仅会增强他们在欧洲赛场的希望，也会让他们的客队离保级更近一步。

对于塞维利亚来说，气氛要阴暗得多。周日1-1战平阿拉夫萨默斯的比赛终于结束了在回归主教练Joaquín Caparrós的带领下的四连败，但这并没有恢复人们对这个在无能和令人担忧之间徘徊的赛季的信心。塞维利亚目前有37分，离积分榜只差6分，但与欧洲联赛的排名也差了6分。从塞维利亚的状态来看，他们的首要任务是生存，而不是在欧洲大陆竞争。他们的后防线已经因为唐吉·年zou的受伤和萨拉斯的停赛而变得脆弱不堪，而最佳射手多迪·卢卡巴基奥已经六场比赛没有进球了。

与此同时，奥萨苏纳拥有西甲最平衡的前后阵型之一。安特·布迪米尔职业生涯第一次打进20多个进球，他在最后三分之一的比赛中表现得很冷静，门将塞尔吉奥·埃雷拉在总扑救次数中排名第二。他们的中场引擎，由艾马尔·奥罗兹和老将乌奈García带领，即使他们的防守遭到破坏，也能保持比赛的竞争力。

周四的冲突预示着一场截然不同的战斗：一方朝着欧洲足球的希望前进，另一方则努力保持其顶级联赛的地位。如果奥萨苏纳最近的状态持续下去，如果塞维利亚在攻防两端的问题持续下去，那么东道主应该有足够的时间延续他们的不败纪录，并朝着赛季末的显著上升又迈出一步。