CA Osasuna - Getafe CF tickets for LaLiga at El Sadar: match guide, stadium details and travel to Pamplona

CA Osasuna - Getafe CF: an early test of character at El Sadar

CA Osasuna and Getafe CF enter their third-round LaLiga meeting with different rhythms at the start of the season. The match is scheduled for 31 August at El Sadar. Getafe have already opened their league campaign with a 3-0 away defeat to Deportivo Alavés, while Osasuna's original opener against Celta was postponed because of problems with the pitch in Vigo. This means that the table at this point still does not provide a true answer to the question of where these two teams stand. Both will play additional matches before they meet, so their form on the actual day of the clash will be fresher than the snapshot taken on 23 August suggests.

Nevertheless, the context is very clear. Getafe arrive in Pamplona after a season in which they finished seventh with 51 points, while Osasuna ended the previous campaign in 17th place with 42 points. The difference in the final standings was significant, but their head-to-head meetings were not one-sided: Osasuna won 2-1 at El Sadar last autumn, while Getafe responded with a 1-0 victory at the Coliseum in the final round.

For a supporter planning a trip to Pamplona, this is therefore an interesting early indicator of the direction of the new season. Osasuna have a new coach and want to make El Sadar once again a place where opponents struggle to gain control of the match. Getafe under José Bordalás remain a team that embrace physically demanding football, prolonged duels and matches in which one set piece or one second ball can decide the result. It is worth securing tickets in good time, especially if travelling from outside Pamplona.

What is at stake for Osasuna

Luis Miguel Ramis took charge of Osasuna in June and is under contract until 2028. The start of the league campaign is additionally unusual for him because the first-round match in Vigo was postponed, meaning the competitive rhythm changes almost immediately after pre-season. Before facing Getafe, Osasuna have a home match against Levante and then the postponed encounter with Celta, so by the third round Ramis should already have a clearer picture of how well his pre-season ideas work under the pressure of playing for points.

During pre-season and training sessions, Ramis experimented with structures featuring a back four, while a 4-4-2 variation also appeared in projected starting line-ups. Regardless of how the formation is written down, the basic idea is easy to recognise: Osasuna want to have enough players close to Ante Budimir, press for the second ball and use the vertical movements of Raúl Moro and Aimar Oroz between the lines. Jon Moncayola and Iker Muñoz provide rhythm in midfield, while Budimir remains the most natural reference point for finishing attacks.

Ramis has at his disposal a core of players who know El Sadar well: Sergio Herrera, Alejandro Catena, Abel Bretones, Moncayola, Aimar Oroz, Rubén García, Budimir and Raúl Moro. Alongside them, the current squad includes Diego Rico, Rockson Yeboah and Jonathan Dubasin.

One fitness question that marked August concerns Valentin Rosier. During pre-season, the club announced that he was recovering from an injury to the biceps femoris of his right leg. Since there are still matches and training sessions before the meeting with Getafe, his status should be checked closer to the day of the match rather than treating him in advance as a certain absentee.

Why Budimir matters against this kind of Getafe

Against Bordalás's team, a striker often has to do more than simply take the final shot. Budimir gives Osasuna a target for longer balls, allows the midfielders to join the attack after rebounds and forces Getafe's centre-backs into constant physical duels inside their own penalty area. If Osasuna manage to sustain the attack after the first contact, space then opens up for Moro, Aimar or Moncayola on the second ball.

Set pieces will also be important. The last league meeting between these clubs at El Sadar was decided precisely by a late Alejandro Catena header from a corner.

Getafe arrive with a heavier competitive workload

Getafe opened the new league season with a 3-0 defeat away to Deportivo Alavés. The result was heavy, but an important detail of the match was Kiko Femeníja's red card in the first half. José Bordalás's team therefore spent a large part of the match with ten men. In the meantime, Getafe also played the first leg of their European play-off against Partizan and won 3-1, although from the 67th minute they were once again down to ten men following Abdel Abqar's dismissal.

That creates a very specific schedule. Before travelling to El Sadar, Getafe have a league match against Racing and then the return leg in Belgrade. Bordalás therefore has to distribute minutes among the players who carry the greatest intensity: the midfielders, wide players and forwards who work extensively without the ball. Fatigue in itself does not necessarily mean a weaker performance, but four demanding matches in a short period can influence the choice of line-up and the way Getafe press in Pamplona.

Getafe's current squad offers more attacking options than the zero league goals scored after the opening round might suggest. The team includes Enes Ünal, Borja Mayoral, Martín Satriano and Juanmi, while Johan Mojica and Andrés García provide additional energy along the flanks. Mario Martín, Orel Mangala and Ramón Terrats can carry much of the workload in midfield. David Soria remains an important figure in goal, while Djené and Abdel Abqar provide experience in the defensive line.

The 3-1 victory over Partizan also showed that Getafe can find a solution after a difficult moment in a match. Enes Ünal scored early, while Andrés García and Johan Mojica settled the contest late on after the team had been reduced to ten men. For Osasuna, that is a warning not to judge Getafe solely on their opening league defeat.

A tactical duel that could be decided without much space

The match at El Sadar could easily develop into a game in which there are not many clean attacks through the middle. Bordalás's teams traditionally aim to reduce the space between the lines, be aggressive in duels and force opponents to attack from less comfortable areas. Osasuna, on the other hand, usually seek energy at their own stadium through early pressing, vertical passes and a large number of players around the penalty area.

For the home side, it will be important to avoid a situation in which Getafe dictate the type of match purely through set pieces, throw-ins and long balls. If Moncayola, Iker Muñoz and Aimar manage to receive the ball facing forward, Osasuna can accelerate before Getafe settle into a deep block. If that does not happen, the match could turn into a succession of duels, stoppages and attempts from the flanks.

Getafe will pay particular attention to the space behind Osasuna's full-backs. Mojica and Andrés García have the pace to transition quickly, while Ünal, Mayoral or Satriano can offer different profiles in the final third. Bordalás does not need high possession for his team to be dangerous. One ball won in midfield and a quick switch of play may be enough to stretch the home defence.

The last two league meetings

• CA Osasuna 2-1 Getafe CF - Abel Bretones and Alejandro Catena scored for the home side, Borja Mayoral for Getafe.
• Getafe CF 1-0 CA Osasuna - Luis Milla scored the only goal at the Coliseum.
• Both matches ended with a one-goal margin.
• In both encounters, set pieces and aerial play were an important part of the teams' attacking profiles.

Those two results provide a good warning about the nature of this fixture. There is no guarantee that the new meeting will be tight, but last season showed that fine margins were decisive. At El Sadar, Osasuna came from 0-1 down and won through Catena's late goal, while in Madrid Getafe made the most of one precise Luis Milla strike to claim victory.

El Sadar: a compact stadium that amplifies the rhythm of the match

El Sadar opened in 1967 and, according to club data, has a capacity of 23,419 spectators. The pitch measures 105 x 67 metres. The stadium is located in the southern part of Pamplona, along Calle Sadar, near the Navarra Arena and the university area. After a major reconstruction, it acquired a more enclosed, compact appearance in the stands, which visually and acoustically enhances the feeling of proximity to the pitch.

For the visiting team, it is a stadium where the home side tries to raise the tempo immediately after kick-off. When he was presented, Ramis emphasised that he wants a team that will not let down the energy of the stadium and its supporters. Against Getafe, this will be visible in the intensity of the first press and the reaction after losing the ball.

For visitors, it is useful to arrive early, especially because of traffic restrictions around the stadium. If you want to choose your seating section and organise your arrival without rushing, it is sensible to secure your place before matchday.

How to get to El Sadar and where to leave your car

On Osasuna matchdays, Pamplona introduces special traffic regulations around Calle Sadar. For the 2026/27 season, the city authorities state that certain road access points to Calle Sadar from the direction of Aranguren, Plaza Góngora and the connection towards the PA-30 are closed two hours before kick-off. At the same time, parking immediately around the stadium is restricted.

It is therefore most practical to plan to use public transport or park outside the immediate stadium perimeter.

• Bus lines 1, 6, 9, 11 and 16 connect different parts of Pamplona and the surrounding area with the El Sadar district.
• After matches, there are also special return services R1, R2, R4 and R5 towards the city centre, Barañáin, Erripagaña/Mendillorri and Sarriguren/Mutilva.
• For parking, the areas around UPNA and UNED, as well as the neighbourhoods of Arrosadía and Soto de Lezkairu, are recommended.
• The parking area directly in front of the stadium is subject to special restrictions on matchday, so driving right up to the entrance is not a good plan.
• The exact opening time of the gates for this match has not been confirmed in the sources used for this guide and should be checked closer to matchday.

For travellers arriving by train, line 9 is useful because it connects the area around the railway station with Universidad Pública de Navarra. Line 11 runs through the city centre and Avenida de Zaragoza towards the stadium area. After the match, special services begin departing shortly after the final whistle, reducing the need to search for a taxi during the busiest period.

Pamplona before and after the match

Pamplona is compact enough for a stadium visit to be combined with time in the city centre. The Old Town and Plaza del Castillo are natural stops before heading towards the southern part of the city, but on matchday it is more important to allow for traffic congestion than for the distance itself. For a one-day visit, public transport is a simpler choice than trying to park next to the stadium.

What to watch immediately before the match

Several important things can still change before the match. Osasuna will play two league fixtures before facing Getafe, while Getafe also have a home league round and a European return leg. For that reason, the final assessment of form, fitness and starting line-ups should not be made a week in advance.

• Valentin Rosier's status after recovering from his hamstring injury.
• Ramis's choice between a system with two forwards and a variation featuring one conventional centre-forward.
• The minutes played by Getafe's key players in the match in Belgrade only a few days before travelling to Pamplona.
• Bordalás's choice between Ünal's work rate and hold-up play, Mayoral's finishing and Satriano's mobility.
• The condition of the pitch, the stadium entry time and any additional traffic measures announced ahead of the match.

The greatest attraction of this clash is not the glamorous promise of a goal-fest, but the clear collision of identities. Osasuna want El Sadar once again to be a place of high tempo, pressing and constant threat from the second wave. Getafe want a match in which no space is gifted, every duel carries weight and the experience of Bordalás's team comes to the fore. For supporters who want to be in the stands, it is sensible to sort out tickets in good time and check travel and entry details immediately before departure.

Sources:
- LALIGA - 2026/27 season schedule, final 2025/26 table, the Deportivo Alavés - Getafe CF result and the head-to-head meetings between CA Osasuna and Getafe CF.
- CA Osasuna - schedule, current squad, appointment of Luis Miguel Ramis, information about the postponement of the match against Celta and Valentin Rosier's fitness condition.
- Getafe CF - current squad, José Bordalás and information about the two-legged tie against Partizan.
- Ayuntamiento de Pamplona - bus lines to El Sadar, traffic regulations on matchdays and recommended parking areas.
- CA Osasuna, club records - opening year, capacity and pitch dimensions of El Sadar.
- AS - current tactical projections for Osasuna and the latest context surrounding Getafe's squad.