Controversy surrounded the scheduling of this rearranged fixture, and there were some notable absentees from the Barca line-up, owing to how close this game was to the end of the international window.
Without Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski in the starting XI, a rotated Barcelona wasted no time in seizing the initiative, taking the lead inside the opening 15 minutes when a sweeping move saw Ferran Torres turn home Alejandro Balde’s wicked delivery from inside the six yard box.
The hosts should’ve been out of sight a matter of minutes later when Dani Olmo was felled in the area by Sergio Herrera.
The Osasuna keeper redeemed himself by saving the Spaniard’s resulting spot kick, but Olmo was afforded a second chance from the spot due to encroachment from an Osasuna defender, and this time, he found the bottom corner.
It was largely one-way traffic towards the Osasuna goal throughout the first half, and they could’ve been three goals to the good at the break, had Torres’ free-kick five minutes before half time not crashed back off the bar.
Osasuna’s first-half offerings were few and far between in an attacking sense, but they did almost claw their way back into the game just two minutes after the restart, when Jorge Herrando headed narrowly wide from six yards.
Half-time substitute Pablo Torre came close to laying the game to rest up the other end from the resulting goal-kick, but his effort whistled inches wide of the target.
Eager to stub out any chance of an Osasuna fightback, Hansi Flick introduced Lewandowski off the bench, and the Pole’s introduction ultimately killed the game when he headed home Fermín López’s delivery to round off a lethal counterattack.
With half an eye on Sunday’s game against Girona, the Catalan club were able to take their foot off the gas from then on.
This victory sees them open up a three-point gap ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, while a seven-point cushion to Atlético Madrid effectively makes the title run in a two-horse race.
Osasuna’s season remains in the balance, as they sit just six points above the bottom three with 10 games remaining.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ferran Torres (Barcelona)