Club Atlético Osasuna secured their first win of the 2026-27 season on Thursday, coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo at the Balaídos stadium. An early goal from Iago Aspas and local dominance were overturned by a VAR decision that saw Marcos Alonso sent off, completely shifting the match's momentum.
The first half belonged to Celta. Their captain, Iago Aspas, opened the scoring in under fifteen minutes, capping a strong start from his team. After the goal, Celta's intensity dropped and Osasuna, managed by Jagoba Arrasate, began to grow into the game. Before halftime, the visitors created danger with a long-range shot from Bretones that went wide and a tame, central effort from Raúl García that was saved. Goalkeeper Sergio Herrera kept his team in the contest.
How did VAR change the game?
The decisive incident occurred in the 48th minute. Celta defender Marcos Alonso fouled Iker Muñoz. The referee initially showed a yellow card, but the VAR, with referee Miguel Sesma reviewing the monitor, intervened. After the review, the card was upgraded to a straight red. It was Celta's first foul of the match and left the home team a man down. "Excessive rigor that punished Celta and gave wings to Osasuna," the report noted. With the numerical advantage, Arrasate's team, referred to by some as Ramis, went on the attack.
How did Osasuna complete the comeback?
The equalizer came in the 60th minute. Kike Barja was the man to beat the Celta goalkeeper and level the score. Facing the shift in dynamics, Celta manager Claudio Giráldez substituted Iago Aspas for defender Carl Starfelt. Meanwhile, Arrasate made offensive changes, replacing Juan Cruz and Aitor Fernández to bring on Rubén García and Croatian striker Ante Budimir. The system became more aggressive. The reward was a penalty awarded for a handball by Javi Galán following a Budimir shot from a corner. Budimir himself stepped up to convert from the spot, completing the turnaround.
What does this win mean for the season?
This victory places Osasuna seventh in La Liga, with 4 points from two games and a record of one win and one draw. The team has scored 2 goals and conceded only one, giving them a +1 goal difference. They are just 2 points behind leaders Barcelona. The win travels back to Pamplona with morale high, but the schedule is demanding. The next fixture is at home against Getafe, who are ninth, on August 31st. Fans can follow the team's progress on our standings page and check the full schedule on fixtures.
The end of the match showed Celta's pride, as they pressed for an equalizer, but Osasuna held firm against the late push. "Football is so unpredictable that a single action, just one, is capable of completely changing a match," the chronicle summarizes. With this win, Osasuna breaks their initial streak and Celta remains winless this season. Arrasate's team showed the character to come back from an adverse situation away from home, a significant asset for the weeks ahead.
