Just three days after LaLiga responsibilities are concluded, Los Blancos travel to the Metropolitano to take on Diego Simeone's side, and having to play near to full strength squads on Sunday therefore won't necessarily appeal to either.
Barca are ominously unbeaten in the calendar year, winning their last six matches with clean sheets in four of them.
By contrast, their opponents have scored just seven away goals in the 2024/25 campaign - the joint lowest in the division - and Los Rojillos have only won one of their 12 away games this season too.
Their only victory in Barcelona since 2011 came back in 2020, whilst the only goalless draw in the fixture in the same time period was at Osasuna's El Sadar ground, meaning that the Catalans have always scored at least once at home against this opponent in the last 14 years.
However, visiting coach, Vicente Moreno, has avoided defeat in his last two games against Barca (W1, D1) and will want to continue that run.
In order to do so again, he will need to stop Barcelona's most influential player of this season, Raphinha wreaking havoc in Saturday night's match.
Before the current campaign, he managed 14 goal contributions (7G, 7A) in LaLiga in his first season and 15 (6G, 9A) in the second, but only started 42 games out of a possible 76.
Clearly, he wasn't considered that important by Xavi, but since the former Barca legend was replaced, the Brazilian has been in sensational form under Hansi Flick, scoring 25 goals and assisting 16 more in his 39 games in all competitions.
That evident trust being placed in him by the German has certainly been repaid, and Raphinha has been as much of a threat as a number 10 as he has out wide this season.
Whilst Robert Lewandowski has scored more (33), that is his bread and butter, and the Polish international's all-round contribution pales into comparison with his teammate.
Despite also not being top of the tree with his pass success percentage (78% - still not awful), the graphic below shows how, in certain games, his involvement is beyond question.
As an all-round competitor, it's difficult to argue against Raphinha being the go-to guy.
Hiss 100 shots in all competitions is at least 12 more than anyone else with Lewandowski (88), Lamine Yamal (84) and Dani Olmo (33) being the nearest to him in that particular metric.
Second for the amount of successful flick-ons in the team and top of the charts in pull-back passes is more evidence of Raphinha's influence.
Of the attacking players on the team, only Lamine and Pedri have a marginally better duel success percentage than his 53.9 too.
He's worked particularly hard in his defensive duties, which can be evidenced by his 45 tackles from an advanced forward position, and which is only bettered by Jules Kounde (62) - a defender, Marc Casado (80) - a defensive midfielder and Pedri (81).
The heat map below certainly shows the diligence with which he patrols his flank and elsewhere, and perhaps that's why Hansi Flick has started Raphinha more than any other player in 24/25.
In terms of minutes played across the season, only Kounde's 3,275 minutes has exceeded the winger's 3,202.
Thirty-nine club games played so far this season is some going, with at least 12 more league games to play, one in the Copa del Rey (maybe two), and one in the Champions League, but as many as six if Barca go all the way to the final.
By comparison, in 2023/24, Raphinha played 37 times in total, it was 50 appearances during 2022/23 and 36 with Leeds United in 2021/22.
One can, therefore, deduce an upward curve in his appearances arguably because of his importance to the Blaugranes.
Lest we forget the captain's responsibility that he was handed by Hansi Flick too in the absence of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo because of injury.
Leading from the front has suited Raphinha as regular watchers of LaLiga would attest, with the showboating and joga bonito being replaced by a seriousness to his play.
“It’s a source of great pride to wear the armband, not just on the field but off it and in the dressing room," he told club media earlier in the season. "Listening to everyone, helping everyone as much as I can. I am always ready for my teammates and it’s a happy, emotional thing to be captain.”
Whilst it's true that Barcelona have plenty of experienced leaders in the dressing room, Raphinha's skill set still marks him out amongst his teammates.
His pace, speed of thought, sense of control when in full flight and fluidity of movement all combine to make him a truly dangerous customer - as many opponents have already found out this season.
Against Osasuna, the Brazilian, as much as anyone, will have a point to prove, because the defeat earlier this season remains the only league fixture in which Barca have conceded four, and the only match in 24/25 that Raphinha didn't start.
