Osasuna vs Levante: El Sadar Opens a New Chapter as Ramis Takes Charge

A postponed opening weekend has made this a particularly unusual first league night for Osasuna. While most clubs have already experienced their first competitive test, Luis Miguel Ramis will finally lead the Navarrese side into his first official match when Levante visit El Sadar on Monday. The original Osasuna fixture against Celta was postponed because of the condition of the Balaídos pitch, meaning the meeting with Levante becomes the club’s real starting point for the 2026/27 campaign. Levante, by contrast, already have one difficult result behind them after a 3-0 defeat away to Espanyol. That leaves the visitors needing an immediate response, while Osasuna have the opportunity to begin their new era in front of their own supporters. LaLiga confirms the fixture for 19:30 at El Sadar, with Víctor García Verdura appointed as referee.

Ramis has spent the final days of preparation working on a 4-4-2 structure, and the training sessions have included tactical work and set pieces rather than a radical overhaul of the squad. The coach has almost his entire group available, although Valentin Rosier remains out while recovering from a right hamstring injury, and new signing Rockson Yeboah is not expected to make his competitive debut yet. The projected shape puts Ante Budimir at the heart of the attack, with Aimar Oroz operating close to him and Moi Gómez and Kike Barja providing width. In midfield, Iker Muñoz and Jon Moncayola are expected to provide the balance required for a system that will need to switch quickly between compact defending and direct attacking. The key question is whether Ramis can give Osasuna enough structure without taking away the aggression that El Sadar traditionally demands.

Levante’s situation is more complicated because Luís Castro is already trying to solve problems exposed during the 3-0 defeat to Espanyol. The club are still dealing with registration issues involving several summer additions, including Hugo Sotelo, Daniel Requena, Yanis Musuayi and Thiago Fernández, while Kareem Tunde has been left out of the squad as his move to West Bromwich Albion approaches. Current reports suggest Mathew Ryan will continue in goal, with Mattia De Sciglio, Mandi, Manu Sánchez and Toljan forming the defensive line. Oriol Rey could anchor the midfield if Sotelo remains unavailable, with Carlos Álvarez and Olasagasti ahead of him. Roger Brugué’s return from suspension is another important development, giving Castro an additional attacking option after Levante failed to score in their opening league game.

The pre-match discussion is therefore centred on two very different forms of uncertainty. Osasuna are discovering what their new coach will demand in a competitive environment, while Levante are trying to improve immediately despite an unsettled squad and several unresolved registration situations. The visitors cannot afford another passive performance after the defeat in Barcelona, particularly because Osasuna are likely to use the energy of El Sadar to press aggressively from the opening stages. At the same time, the hosts have not played a competitive match since the end of the previous campaign, so their rhythm will be another unknown. The tactical battle may consequently come down to whether Osasuna can use their compact 4-4-2 to force Levante into rushed decisions, or whether Castro’s team can bypass the first wave of pressure and attack the spaces around Budimir and Aimar.

❗ Official Injury & Availability Report

CA Osasuna — Current Injury Status
Out / Ruled Out	Valentin Rosier	Right hamstring injury; continuing his recovery and unavailable for the Levante match.

Levante UD — Current Injury Status
Out / Ruled Out	Noé Carrillo	Reported injured and unavailable for the fixture.

Osasuna’s own training reports provide the clearest official injury information: Rosier has continued his recovery from a right biceps femoris injury and is the confirmed injured absence. Rockson Yeboah is not treated as an injury absence because his issue is registration/readiness rather than a medical problem. For Levante, the available current team-news reporting identifies Noé Carrillo as the injured absentee; several other players are unavailable because of registration or squad circumstances rather than confirmed injuries, so they have not been incorrectly classified as injured.

🔵 Projected Matchday Elevens & Key Personnel

Important: the official starting XIs had not yet been published when this preview was prepared. The tables below therefore contain projected lineups, not confirmed starting elevens. This avoids presenting predictions as official team news. The projections reflect the latest pre-match reporting and training information.

CA Osasuna — Projected XI
Position	Player	Matchday Context
Goalkeeper	Sergio Herrera	Projected to start in goal for Ramis.
Defender	Iker Arguibide	Projected at right-back.
Defender	Jorge Herrando	Expected to partner Catena centrally.
Defender	Alejandro Catena	Projected as the other central defender.
Defender	Abel Bretones	Projected on the left side of defence.
Midfielder	Iker Muñoz	Expected to provide midfield balance in the 4-4-2.
Midfielder	Jon Moncayola	Projected alongside Muñoz in central midfield.
Midfielder	Kike Barja	Projected on the right side of midfield.
Midfielder	Raúl Moro	Projected on the left after returning to competitive contention.
Forward	Aimar Oroz	Expected to play close to Budimir.
Forward	Ante Budimir	Projected central striker and main attacking reference.
Head Coach	Luis Miguel Ramis	Making his official Primera División debut on the Osasuna bench.

Levante UD — Projected XI
Position	Player	Matchday Context
Goalkeeper	Mathew Ryan	Projected to retain the starting goalkeeper role.
Defender	Milan van Ewijk	Projected defensive option in the current pre-match XI.
Defender	Mickaël Malsa	Projected in the defensive structure.
Defender	Mandi	Projected to operate centrally.
Defender	Manu Sánchez	Projected at left-back and returning to the stadium where he previously played for Osasuna.
Midfielder	Oriol Rey	Expected to anchor midfield if Hugo Sotelo remains unavailable.
Midfielder	Carlos Álvarez	Projected as an advanced midfield option.
Midfielder	Pablo Martínez	Projected in the attacking midfield structure.
Forward	Roger Brugué	Returns after suspension and is expected to strengthen the attack.
Forward	Víctor García	Projected to start in the attacking line.
Forward	Iván Romero	Projected as one of the main attacking options.
Head Coach	Luís Castro	Leads Levante into the second match of their return to LaLiga.

What the Pre-Match Reports Are Focusing On

• Ramis’ competitive debut: the Osasuna coach is finally beginning his Primera División campaign after the club’s opening match against Celta was postponed.
• Rosier remains unavailable: Osasuna’s official training reports continue to list his recovery from the right hamstring injury.
• Levante need a reaction: Luís Castro’s team lost 3-0 to Espanyol in their opening league match.
• Registration is affecting Levante: Hugo Sotelo, Daniel Requena, Yanis Musuayi and Thiago Fernández have faced registration problems, complicating Castro’s selection.
• Budimir remains Osasuna’s reference: the Croatian striker is expected to lead the attack in Ramis’ 4-4-2.
• Tunde is leaving: Kareem Tunde has been left out as his transfer to West Bromwich Albion approaches.

The Battle Between Compactness and Recovery

Osasuna’s projected 4-4-2 should give Ramis a relatively compact defensive block, with Muñoz and Moncayola positioned to protect the central areas while Moro and Barja can drop alongside them. That could make the space between Levante’s midfield and attack difficult to access, particularly if Oriol Rey is forced to receive under pressure. For Levante, the solution may be to move the ball quickly toward the wings and use Carlos Álvarez between the lines rather than attempting to play through a crowded centre. Brugué’s return from suspension gives Castro an additional player capable of carrying the ball forward, while Iván Romero offers movement around the central striker position. The match may ultimately be decided by which side handles transitions better: Osasuna need to turn their defensive compactness into fast attacks around Budimir, while Levante must avoid the structural gaps that contributed to their poor opening-day display.

A First League Night That Could Set the Tone

For Osasuna, this is effectively the beginning of the season in competitive terms, and the atmosphere at El Sadar will add another layer to Ramis’ first official assignment. Levante have no such luxury: their 3-0 defeat to Espanyol has already created a need for improvement, while squad registration issues continue to complicate Luís Castro’s options. Neither side should be judged by one result at this stage, but the contrast in circumstances makes the opening exchanges important. Osasuna will want control without becoming predictable, whereas Levante need enough courage in possession to avoid being pinned back for long periods. The outcome will not settle the direction of either campaign, but it can provide the first meaningful evidence of whether Ramis’ structured approach and Castro’s response to adversity are beginning to take shape.

Match Details

Osasuna vs Levante
Competition	LALIGA EA SPORTS	Matchday 2
Date	Monday, 24 August 2026	19:30 CEST
Venue	Estadio El Sadar	Pamplona, Spain
Referee	Víctor García Verdura	VAR: Álvaro Rodríguez Recio

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