Osasuna vs Real Betis preview - Osasuna set for relegation battle

Posted Saturday, May 17, 2014 by PA

Osasuna captain Miguel Flano is adamant his relegation-threatened side "will fight to the end" in Sunday's must-win last match of the season at El Sadar Stadium.

Los Rojillos take on bottom side Real Betis, who have already had their relegation confirmed, as they fight for their Primera Division lives, two points from safety.

Osasuna's top-flight status also depends on the outcome of the matches involving second-bottom Real Valladolid, who - like Javi Garcia's side - have 36 points and need a win against Granada for any chance of survival.

Granada sit just above the bottom three and could be safe with a draw, sending Osasuna and Valladolid down.

But 29-year-old defender Flano believes his side, who are winless in their last six league outings, will pull out all the stops in the remaining fixture to stay in La Liga.

He told his club's official website osasuna.es: "We know what is at stake and the importance to the club, therefore we are psyched and focused on Sunday's game. After that we will look at other results.

"We have faith and confidence that we will achieve (the result in hope of staying up).

"We have reached a situation where we do not depend only on us, but we have to hurry up our options and win our game. We must focus on the only thing left - Sunday's game.

"The mood is good considering the responsibility and stress involved in this last game. It's been a difficult week. Nobody here is going to give up. We will fight to the end."

Osasuna came out 2-1 on top in the reverse fixture at the Benito Villamarin in January so Betis, who have won only six league matches all season, will be out to take something back to Sevilla.

Gabriel Calderon's men edged a seven-goal thriller at home to Valladolid last weekend as they ended a run of six straight defeats and are looking to bow out on a high on Sunday.

Calderon hopes to see Juan Carlos in his squad on Saturday following the 24-year-old winger's foot injury, while home-grown youngsters Jose Carlos and Jesus Pozo trained with the team on Friday and could feature.