Palma de Mallorca (Thursday, December 21, 2023) – Club Atlético Osasuna (5-4-8, 19 points) fell 3-2 to RCD Mallorca (3-9-6, 18 points) at Estadi Mallorca Soi Moix in the last game of 2023. Despite taking an early lead thanks to midfielder Pablo Ibáñez, los rojillos trailed 3-1 in the second half. As the game ended, forward Raúl García cut the distance, but it wasn't enough to secure a point.

The game started with both sides scoring early. In the sixth minute, Jose Arnaiz won a free kick when defender Giovanni Gonzlález blocked his attempt with a handball at the edge of the box. It was the 28-year-old who fired the free kick to the bottom right corner, where goalkeeper Predrag Rajković stopped the shot. However, he left a rebound, and Ibáñez did not miss the opportunity to place the ball in the back of the net. Five minutes later, the Bermellones tied the game with a header by defender Matija Nastasić following a corner kick.

The goalkeepers were crucial to keep the game tie until the break. In the 20th minute, midfielder Jon Moncayola tried with a right footed shot from outside the box, but Nastasić saved the attempt. Later, goalkeeper Sergio Herrera stopped defender Jaume Costa's and midfielder Antonio Sánchez's attempts from close range.

After the break, it took seven minutes for the home side to take the lead when Rodríguez took a shot from outside the box and into the bottom left corner. In the 62nd minute, defender Antonio Raíllo increased the lead off a corner. The Navarrese team tried cutting the distance with crosses and shots for the rest of the match, but the Mallorca backline stopped them. It wasn't until stoppage time that los rojillos broke down Mallorca's backline to find their second goal of the evening via García. Following the goal, Osasuna continued to fight with shots by midfielder Iker Muñoz and forward Chimy Ávila that were blocked and a saved attempt by forward Ante Budimir.

Osasuna will return to El Sadar on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 5 p.m. CET (4 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET) to face U.D. Almería in Week 19 of LaLiga EA Sports.

 GAME NOTES

- Today's match was Osasuna's first meeting with RCD Mallorca this season, 69th of all-time and 49th in the top flight. Los rojillos now hold a record of 23-23-23 (17-20-12 in the top flight).

 - Midfielder Pablo Ibáñez scored his league goal in the seventh minute.

 - Forward Raúl García scored his second of the season. 

 - Forward Chimy Ávila recorded his third LaLiga assist of the season.

 - Defender Rubén Peña played his 40th game with Osasuna.

 - Goalkeeper Sergio Herrera played his 120th as a rojillo in Primera División.

 - Midfielder Aimar Oroz played his 50th game in Primera División.

 - Midfielder Moi Gómez started his 40th in Primera División with Osasuna.

 - Defender David García played his 270th league game. 

BOX SCORE

RCD Mallorca 3-2 CA Osasuna

GOALS:

OSA: Pablo Ibáñez (unassisted) 7’

MAL: Matija Nastasić 1 (Dani Rodríguez 2) 12’

MAL: Dani Rodríguez 2 (Pablo Maffeo 2) 53’

MAL: Antonio Raíllo (Dani Rodríguez 3) 62’

OSA: Raúl García 2 (Chimy Ávila 3) 90+1

 DISCIPLINE:

 MAL: Antonio Raíllo (Yellow Card) 28’

 MAL: Pablo Maffeo (Yellow Card) 47'

 MAL: Jaume Costa (Yellow Card) 79'

 OSA: Chimy Ávila (Yellow Card) 90+5’

RCD Mallorca: Predrag Rajković; Matija Nastasić, Manu Morlanes (Sergi Darder, m. 71), Jaume Costa (Copete, m. 79), Samú Costa, Dani Rodríguez (Amath Ndiaye, m. 90), Pablo Maffeo, Cyle Larin (Abdón Prats, m. 71), Antonio Sánchez (Javi Llabrés, m. 90), Giovanni González, Antonio Raíllo (C) 

Subs not used: Dominik Greif, Iván Cuéllar; Siebe van der Heyden, Rubén Quintanilla, David López, Marcos Fernández, Daniel Luna

CA Osasuna: Sergio Herrera; Juan Cruz, David García (C), Lucas Torró (Iker Muñoz, m. 46), Jon Moncayola (Kike Barja, m. 81), Jesús Areso, Rubén Peña, Moi Gómez (Aimar Oroz, m. 46), Ante Budimir, Pablo Ibáñez (Chimy Ávila, m. 66), Jose Arnaiz (Raúl García, m. 66)

Subs not used: Aitor Fernández, Pablo Valencia; Nacho Vidal Unai García, Darko, Alejandro Catena, Jorge Herrando

STATS SUMMARY:
MAL/OSA

Shots: 15/12

Shots on Goal: 8/7  

Corners: 7/0

Fouls: 11/12

Offsides: 3/0

Possession: 42%/58%

Referee: Mario Melero López  

Assistant referees: José Luis Martínez Serrato & José Francisco García Lozano  

Fourth official: Sergiu Claudiu Muresan Muresan

VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande 

Assistant VAR: Ángel Nevado Rodríguez