FEATURE | Valentin Rosier Gunning for Greatness with Osasuna | OneFootball

In a rematch of the 2023 Copa del Rey Final, Real Madrid welcomed Osasuna to the Santiago Bernabéu in their opening match of the 2025/26 season. The visitors kept things tight and prevented Real from gaining the advantage until just after the interval, when Juan Cruz felled Kylian Mbappé in the box, giving the Frenchman the opportunity to slot home from the penalty spot in a 1-0 match. Despite suffering defeat on Tuesday, there were plenty of players who impressed for Osasuna, including Valentin Rosier. Going up against Vinícius Júnior as a right-sided wingback, Rosier dealt with the threat brilliantly and marked his 29th birthday with a superb debut for Los Rojillos. In total, he racked up four clearances, three interceptions, and two tackles across his 90 minutes.

Born in Montauban, France, Rosier began his career in the lower leagues with Rodez before making the move to Ligue 1 side Dijon. After three years in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Rosier decided to leave his motherland and join Portuguese giants Sporting in 2019. He was unable to make a mark in Lisbon and left after just one season, making the move to Beşiktaş, where he would establish himself as one of the best right backs in Türkiye and helped them win the league title in his first season. However, after being excluded from the squad along with Vincent Aboubakar, Eric Bailly, Rachid Ghezzal and Jean Onana due to poor performance and incompatibility within the team, Rosier was sent out on loan to Ligue 1 side OGC Nice. He returned after just a few months and embarked on a new chapter in Spain, joining newly promoted side Leganés on a free transfer.

“Osasuna wanted me a lot, and for me, that is important,” stated Rosier in an RG interview. “Also, I love LaLiga and playing in Spain. My first game with Leganés was at Osasuna, and I felt like it was a family atmosphere. When I was talking with the director, we had a good understanding with one another. It was a good offer, so for me, it checked all the boxes to sign with them.”

Whilst he failed to keep the Pepineros up in the top-flight, he nevertheless became a vital cog in defense, leading the team in interceptions per game (1.6) and tackles per game (2.2) across his 32 LaLiga appearances. Despite being linked to moves to Fulham and Eintracht Frankfurt, he decided to remain put in LaLiga and join Osasuna on a free transfer, signing a contract through 2028. Rosier immediately made an impression on local journalists after stating that Osasuna should be aiming to finish in the European positions, rather than solely focusing on avoiding relegation, which has been the expectation since they returned to the top division in 2019.

“Last season, Osasuna finished ninth and were a goal away from qualifying for Europe, so it’s normal to start thinking about it. I think the team has to be aiming to finish fifth, sixth, or seventh and qualifying for Europe – we can do it.”

Rosier has been able to walk the walk and talk the talk, playing in each of their six preseason friendlies (starting in four) under new manager Alessio Lisci, who, despite being 39, has already coached 148 matches for Levante, Mirandés, and now Osasuna. And after selling right back Jesús Areso to Athletic Club for €12 million, all signs point to Rosier locking down a starting spot in the right side of defense.

“Lisci doesn’t just think about possession, but also defense. We’ve worked on some stuff in training that I think is different from last season. He wants me to play higher up the pitch, he’s made me comfortable with the tactics. As a coach, he likes to have the ball, and he’s the kind of guy who, when he has an idea, he wants to fulfill it, he doesn’t want to change it for anyone. We’ll have to see what happens Tuesday against Real Madrid, but I think we can produce a good season with him. The onus is on us as players on the pitch, if we want to do something different, we have to do it and choose the best option.”

With Abel Bretones set to miss their upcoming matches after being sent off for violent conduct in the waning minutes against Real Madrid, Lisci and Osasuna supporters will be counting on Rosier to deliver the goods as they seek to come away with a win against Valencia in their home opener.

GSFN | Zach Lowy