OIER absent due to suspension for the home team, which should see Fran Merida and Darko Brasanac start in midfield.

Aridane Hernandez sidelined with a hamstring problem to see Raul Navas slot in at center back.

Nacho Vidal also has a hamstring complaint which is likely to see Facundo Roncaglia start at right-back for Osasuna.

Iker Muniain will be sidelined until the end of December due to a muscle injury.

Benat available after injury, but Unai Lopez is expected to retain his starting place in midfield.

Inigo Cordoba should be deployed out wide on the left for Los Leones.

We begin by looking at the fact that Osasuna play Athletic Club in 2017 for La Liga match. The winners on the day of the Athletic Club - won by a score of 1-2.

Over the last ten years, the two teams have met 12 times. Osasuna have run out winners in this first match-up, while Athletic Club has won 9 times. 2 other matches ended in a draw.

In their matches to date, there has been an average of 2.33 goals per game. Osasuna score an average of 0.58 and their opponents, Athletic Club score an average of 1.75 per match.

In terms of record on the road, anyone who has been visiting side have won 75% of the head-to-head match-ups. The home team has prevailed in 8% of this match.

Bilbao had to dig deep to find a win the last time they took part in the meeting of the league. Locking horns with the Frogs, the team had conceded right at the end of the first time, to go behind 0-1. However, the home team refused to give up and keep fighting.

They succeeded in their goal, because they scored two goals, one of which is only two minutes from the final whistle, to register three points on the board.

Meanwhile, Osasuna have made light work of their guests, Alaves, as they romped to a 4-2 win the last time they hosted a league match. Two quick-fire goals before the half-hour mark put the visitors under enormous pressure, and although contingent visited did Slot two back, it was not enough to share the spoils, as the home team have found two more.

This week, consider the defensive prowess Basque outfit have shown during their campaigns. They have allowed the least amount of goals in the competition, and as of now, the team has lost only four times in the previous 25-game stretch them.

In addition, they are in a four-game unbeaten streak as it is now, where three is a win, and on the road, they have kept three clean sheets from the former six of their clash.

Importantly, they have fared well against this opponent in h2h clashes during the last years, and in addition, Osasuna are a team who has been promoted to La Liga.

Taking all these observations into account, is entitled to expect a big performance from Athletic Bilbao this week, to maintain their momentum.