Real Zaragoza 0 - 1 Osasuna

Aranda wants end to away day blues

Updated: November 28, 2009, 3:34 PM UK

Osasuna travel to Real Zaragoza with striker Carlos Aranda admitting his side need to improve their away form to avoid being caught up in another relegation battle this season.

Osasuna escaped the drop in miraculous circumstances last term after taking seven points off the top three of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla in their final three games, allowing them to finish one point above the drop zone

This season Jose Antonio Camacho's side have had a steady start, picking up 12 points from 11 games, and they go to Zaragoza in 12th spot in the standings and five points above Atletico Madrid in 18th.

However, Osasuna's problems last season stemmed from their poor away form when they recorded only two wins in 18 games, and it could be a similar story this time with the Pamplona-based side taking only five points from a possible 15 on their travels so far.

To make matters worse, Osasuna have yet to face any of the big guns away from their Reyno de Navarra home, with their five matches coming against Tenerife, Real Valladolid, Getafe, Racing Santander and Almeria - four of whom are currently in the bottom eight.

Osasuna now face consecutive away matches against two other sides whose main aim this season will be to avoid the drop - Zaragoza and Malaga - and Aranda has urged his team to make the most of them.

"These two games are very important because we are facing teams in our league,'' he said.

"If you win then they don't pick up points and you can leave them behind. Moreover, we are playing away from home and to achieve our objective (avoiding relegation) we need to pick up a lot of points away from Pamplona.''

Aranda will be without his regular strike partner Walter Pandiani this weekend as the veteran Uruguayan is suspended following his red card in last weekend's 3-1 home loss to Valencia.

Pandiani is Osasuna's leading scorer this season with six goals and Aranda, who netted the last of his two goals over a month ago, knows he will have to take up the slack in the former Deportivo La Coruna and Espanyol forward`s absence.

"I've gone several games without scoring a goal and now is the time to do it. Pandiani creates a lot of danger, he works hard and scores goals. As such, he is an important loss, but there are players who can take his place,'' Aranda added.

Zaragoza coach Marcelino Garcia Toral also has concerns in attack ahead of the game where his side will look to pick up their fourth win in six home games this season.

Braulio and Javier Arizmendi are definitely sidelined for the match, so youngster Alex Sanchez has been called up from the reserves. Brazilian Ewerthon was also a doubt through illness but has recovered sufficiently to be named in Marcelino's 18-man squad.

Aside from Pandiani, Osasuna coach Jose Antonio Camacho is also without Miguel Flano and Patxi Punal through suspension, while Nacho Monreal, Ludovic Delporte and Javier Portillo are lacking fitness.