CA Osasuna

Osasuna

Full name	Club Atlético Osasuna
Nickname(s)	Los Rojillos, "Gorritxoak" (The little red ones)
Founded	1920
Ground	Reyno de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (Capacity: 19,500)
Chairman	Patxi Izco
Manager	José Antonio Camacho
League	La Liga
2009–10	La Liga, 12th
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.

Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,500-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra. The team's home kit is red shirt, navy blue shorts, black socks with red back, whereas the away one is navy blue shirt, orange shorts and navy blue socks.

History

Founded in 1920, Osasuna first reached Segunda División in 1932, making it to La Liga three seasons later.

The club achieved their first ever UEFA Cup qualification in 1985–86 after finishing sixth, eventually reaching the third round in the 1990–91 edition. Finishing last in 1993–94, the side spent six years in the second level.

After a stellar 2005–06 domestic campaign, Osasuna made history by finishing in fourth place - tied for best ever - synonymous with the chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in the following season through play-off matches. This achievement was made all the more dramatic by the suspense that was maintained until the last day of the championship in which Osasuna and Sevilla FC were both vying for the fourth place. Both teams eventually ended the season with the same number of points but Osasuna got through due to their head-to-head record. However, Osasuna didn't make it to the Champions League group phase, as they were eliminated by Hamburger SV in the third qualifying round, leaving the Navarrese to vie in the UEFA Cup for the fifth time in their history.

Osasuna were drawn in Group D of the 2006–07 UEFA Cup along with Parma FC, RC Lens, OB Odense and SC Heerenveen. The club successfully qualified to the knock-out stage, finishing second in their group, and were drawn against FC Girondins de Bordeaux, who had dropped into the UEFA Cup following an unsuccessful Champions League campaign. Osasuna progressed 1–0 on aggregate, drawing 0–0 away before winning 1–0 in Pamplona through an extra-time winner by Javad Nekounam.

Next up were Scottish side Glasgow Rangers, and the Spanish side again progressed, following a 1–1 draw in Scotland and a 1–0 win at home. They were drawn against German side Bayer Leverkusen in the quarter-finals. Regarded as severe underdogs, Osasuna not only progressed to the semifinals but did so in style. A 3–0 away win had virtually sealed the tie, but Osasuna also won the second leg, 1–0. In the last-four round, Osasuna was drawn against holders and fellow Spanish side Sevilla, eventually losing 1–2 on aggregate after a 1–0 home win.

In the following two seasons, Osasuna struggled mightily in the league. In 2008–09, it only avoided relegation in the final day: being in 18th place and going into the final matchday, home to Real Madrid, they fell behind 1–0, but came back with two goals (the decider courtesy of Juanfran, a Merengue youth graduate) to remain in La Liga.

Current squad

The numbers are established according to the official website: www.osasuna.es and www.lfp.es. Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Ricardo 3 DF Nacho Monreal (vice-captain 3) 4 DF Miguel Flaño (vice-captain 2) 5 DF Rovérsio 6 MF Javad Nekounam 7 FW Carlos Aranda 8 MF Masoud Shojaei 9 FW Dejan Lekić 10 MF Francisco Puñal (captain) 11 FW Walter Pandiani 12 MF Juanfran

No. Position Player 13 GK Asier Riesgo 14 DF Josetxo (vice-captain 1) 15 DF Oier 16 DF Ion Echaide 17 MF Javier Camuñas 19 MF Javier Calleja 20 MF Fernando Soriano 21 MF Krisztián Vadócz 22 MF Rúper 23 DF Sergio 24 MF Damià - MF Nicolás Medina

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 16 FW Jorge Galán (to SD Huesca) 24 MF Jokin Esparza (to SD Huesca)

Seasons

Recent history

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Notes
2000–01	1D	15	38	10	12	16	43	54	42	last 32
2001–02	1D	17	38	10	12	16	36	49	42	last 32
2002–03	1D	12	38	12	11	15	40	48	47	semi-finals
2003–04	1D	13	38	11	15	12	38	37	48	last 16
2004–05	1D	15	38	12	10	16	46	65	46	final
2005–06	1D	4	38	21	5	12	49	43	68	last 16	UC	1st round
2006–07	1D	14	38	13	7	18	51	49	46	quarter-finals	UC	semi-finals
2007–08	1D	17	38	12	7	19	37	44	43	last 32
2008–09	1D	15	38	10	13	15	41	47	43	last 16

Season to season

• 33 seasons in La Liga [highest-ever position 4th (1990–91, 2005–06)]
• 33 seasons in Segunda División
• 13 seasons in Tercera División
• 1 season in Categorías Regionales

Honours/Achievements

• Spanish Cup: Runners-up 2004–05
• 4 UEFA Cup participations

Famous players

see also Category:CA Osasuna footballers

Famous coaches

• Javier Aguirre
• Ivan Brzić
• Rafael Benítez
• José Antonio Camacho
• Miguel Ángel Lotina

see also Category:CA Osasuna managers

External links

• Official website
• "El Sadar" Stadium at Google Maps