Osasuna 2-2 Barcelona: 3 Talking points

Barcelona followed up their impressive 5-2 victory over Real Betis with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Osasuna to halt their momentum ahead of the international break.

Just like last weekend, the Catalans fell behind to a first half goal by their opponents, and showed great grit and determination to claw their way back to get into the lead, but could not hold on for the win. A late penalty by Roberto Torres saw Barcelona drop two points and lose further ground in their quest to retain their La Liga title.

Barcelona would have been looking to secure all three points, but their failure to do so means they are already playing catch-up at this early stage, and in this piece, we shall be highlighting three talking points from the match.

#3 La Masia’s quality comes to the fore

Fati became Barcelona's youngest ever goalscorer

Barcelona’s academy is famed as the birthplace of numerous footballing legends including Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta to name a few. Most of these players went on to achieve greatness with the first team, and Barcelona’s recent successes have been founded on the back of these players.

However, there has been a dearth of La Masia players making the grade in the senior team, leading many to suggest that the quality of players produced has dropped. That is not the case, as a number of factors have combined to make La Masia youngsters seek playing time elsewhere.

There is still an abundance of talent in La Masia, and in the game against Osasuna, they came to the fore for Barcelona. Despite the presence of more established regulars, it was the highly-rated Ansu Fati who came off the bench to equalize for Barcelona with a well-taken header.

His goal came off a pin-point cross by another Barcelona B player in Carlos Perez, and the 21-year-old turned provider once again for Sergi Roberto to put Barcelona 2-1 up.

Fati's goal saw him become the youngest goalscorer in the history of Barcelona, and if he is to continue with his trajectory, he would undoubtedly be a cornerstone for the club for many years to come.

Even though their efforts were ultimately futile in getting Barcelona the victory, the La Masia players on display showed that the academy still remains the world’s premier hub for the development of quality players.

#2 Osasuna’s impressive home run continues

Osasuna are undefeated at home in league competition since April 2018

Osasuna finished as league champions in the Segunda Division last season which facilitated their promotion to Spain's top tier. A major reason why the Pamplona based club was able to secure promotion was the monstrous form at home.

Los Rojillos won an impressive 19 games out of 21, scoring 34 goals and conceding just seven, with their remarkable 19 consecutive home wins playing a key role in their promotion.

Furthermore, Osasuna have not been defeated in league action at the Estadio El Sadar since April 2018, and it is in light of this impressive home record that their fans have created one of the most iconic atmospheres in all of Spain.

Despite seeing their one-goal lead erased, Osasuna kept their belief, and despite the quality of their opposition, Roberto Torres' 81st-minute penalty was enough to ensure that their impressive home record remains intact.

#1 Subdued performance from Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann was a passenger for most of the match

The injuries sustained by Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele thrust Antoine Griezmann into the spotlight as the figurehead of the Barcelona attack, but while the Frenchman starred with a brace and assist last week against Real Betis, against Osasuna, he put up a no-show.

He was once again deployed as the focal point of attack alongside Carles Perez and Rafinha in a repeat of the same frontline that demolished Los Verdiblancos, but Griezmann struggled to make any impact on the game, watching on as La Masia youngsters outshone him.

The former Atletico Madrid man failed to hit a shot on target for the entirety of the 90 minutes and was largely a peripheral figure as the central defensive pairing of Adriane and Davi Garcia effectively marshalled him.

With Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez expected to be back after the international break, Antoine Griezmann would not help but feel that he did not make the most of their absence.