Ante Budimir has scored 70% of Osasuna's goals in La Liga this season. The 35-year-old Croatian has netted seven of the team's ten goals across the first nine matchdays, underlining the need for other players to step up.
The Pamplona-based side currently sit tenth in the table with 11 points from three wins, two draws, and four losses. They have scored ten goals and conceded 18. Their most recent result was a 2-0 home win over Racing Santander on 18 October, with Budimir opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 9th minute and Asier Osambela adding a second late on. The team's league position can be tracked on our standings page.
Budimir's shadow
The numbers are stark: only four other players have found the net this campaign. They are Kike Barja, Raúl García de Haro, Asier Osambela, and an own goal by Budimir in the 5-2 defeat to Real Betis. This contrasts sharply with previous seasons under Jagoba Arrasate in his first spell, when goals were shared among as many as 13 different players. In that campaign, Iker Muñoz scored four, Moi Gómez three, and Rubén García another three, among others.
The new manager, who replaced Luis Miguel Ramis, is aware of the challenge. "We have a different way of coaching and a different methodology. Not better or worse, and the players will have to adapt," Arrasate stated. His arrival has coincided with an uptick in attacking output, as the win over Racing saw Osasuna register 20 shots and 30 touches in the opposition box, figures far higher than in recent home games.
The penalty factor and renewal
Four of Budimir's seven goals have come from the penalty spot. Osasuna have been awarded four penalties this term, all converted by the Croatian. According to data compiled by analyst Pedro Martín, Budimir has won 17 penalties in Europe's top leagues since the turn of the century.
His current contract expires in 2027, but the club has already taken action. Sporting director Cata announced that "they will present him with a renewal offer." The striker, who joined the club in the summer of 2020, has been the team's top scorer in every full season since his arrival. Also, this start of seven goals in nine matches is the best of his career.
Budimir has scored against 16 of the 18 La Liga opponents he has faced, with only Huesca and Leganés missing from his league tally, though he has scored against them in the Copa del Rey. Osasuna now face a tough trip to face sixth-placed Sevilla on 26 October. Finding more diverse sources of goals is the most pressing task for Arrasate if the team is to climb the table.
First reported at diariodenavarra.es
