Football

Spain concluded their triumphant 2023 campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Switzerland in a Nations League dead rubber on Monday. Despite already securing top spot in Group A4, the reigning European champions displayed their resilience and determination in Tenerife.Coach Luis de la Fuente fielded an entirely new starting lineup, giving Athletic Bilbao's Aitor Paredes his international debut. Yeremi Pino, a Canary Islander, broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on Pedri's saved penalty.Switzerland equalized through Joel Monteiro, but Bryan Gil quickly restored Spain's lead. Andi Zeqiri leveled the score once more from the spot, but Bryan Zaragoza emerged as the hero in the dying minutes. The Bayern Munich winger earned and converted a penalty, securing a hard-fought victory for Spain.Zaragoza's late heroics capped off a remarkable year for Spain, who won the Euro 2024 title and finished the Nations League group stage unbeaten. The match also marked a special occasion for the Canary Islands, as it was the first Spain match on the island in 28 years.

Osasuna's stunning 4-2 victory over Barcelona on Saturday shattered the Catalan giants' perfect start to the La Liga season. The defeat marked a significant setback for Barcelona, who had won all seven of their opening fixtures.Osasuna's triumph was orchestrated by Ante Budimir, who scored a brace, and Bryan Zaragoza, who netted the opening goal. Pau Victor briefly gave Barcelona hope with a lifeline goal, but Budimir's second-half penalty and Abel Bretones' sensational strike sealed the victory for the hosts. Lamine Yamal pulled one back for Barcelona, but it was too little, too late.Barcelona coach Hansi Flick took full responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging that his heavily rotated side had made numerous mistakes in the first half. "We had a lot of changes in the team and this is maybe one reason for that," Flick said. "I think it was necessary. We had so many matches, a lot of players had so many minutes, I have to take care about that. This is my responsibility."Flick's decision to rest key players ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match against Young Boys backfired, as Barcelona failed to ignite in the first half. Osasuna, on the other hand, seized the opportunity, with Zaragoza playing a pivotal role in the opening two goals.Barcelona's struggles continued in the second half, despite the introduction of Yamal and Raphinha. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski was taken off with 20 minutes remaining after a disappointing display. Osasuna capitalized on Barcelona's defensive lapses, with Budimir converting a penalty and Bretones adding a fourth goal.The defeat leaves Barcelona with a four-point lead over second-place Real Madrid, who face Atletico Madrid in a derby clash on Sunday. Osasuna, meanwhile, climbed to sixth place in the standings.