Key Takeaways
- Osasuna signed Valentine Rosier this summer on a free transfer from Leganes, and he's set to make his competitive debut for the club on Tuesday against Real Madrid.
- The Frenchman sat down with RG to discuss his ambitions for the upcoming campaign, his time in Turkey, and more.
- “I think the team has to be aiming to finish fifth, sixth or seventh and qualifying for Europe – we can do it,” Rosier said.
Valentin Rosier training with Osasuna (Photo courtesy of CA Osasuna)
Two years after facing off in the Copa del Rey Final, Osasuna will travel to Real Madrid in the opening match of the 2025/26 season. One player who will be looking to make his mark for Osasuna is Valentin Rosier, who is set to make his competitive debut at the Santiago Bernabéu on his 29th birthday.
“It’s the first game which is a little bit difficult for all of the teams, who need to play 2-3 games to get a good feeling together on the pitch,” stated Rosier in an exclusive RG interview. “Real Madrid is a good team with very good players, but they are still players just like us. It will be difficult, but we can do it; we also have very nice players with a lot of quality. It’s another game, and whether it’s Real Madrid or not, we have to win, it’s our job.”
Laying Foundations in France
Born in Montauban, France, Rosier started his senior career in the French fourth division for Rodez AF in 2015/16 before making the step up to Ligue 1 side Dijon in the summer of 2016. His debut season in France’s top-flight was marred with ankle injuries, making just four appearances across all competitions, but he would bounce back in 2017/18 by becoming an integral figure on the right side of defense as well as filling in at left back on occasion. Rosier enjoyed a productive 2018 by solidifying a starting spot in Dijon’s backline as well as being called up to France for the only time in his career – he would play seven times for their U-21s, bumping shoulders with future Les Bleus stars like Dayot Upamecano, Christopher Nkunku, and Youssouf Fofana.
“When I was 18 in Rodez, I was playing as a winger in preseason, and my coach told me, ‘I want you in the team, but you have to play right back.’ In my first professional season, the coach wanted to play with me because I defended well. It didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to play. I had experience there from when I was playing right back for Toulouse when I was 14, and ever since I went professional, I’ve been a right back.”
“Whether it’s a right back or a left back, fullback is the most difficult position in football. You have to attack, you have to defend, but if you attack well and defend poorly, they will criticize you, and if you defend well and attack poorly, they’ll also criticize you. We play every game against the best players of the opposing team, so it’s difficult. I like to attack but also defend; it’s important to make assists, but it’s also important to save the team with a last-gasp tackle.”
Rosier played just 10 minutes in the new year for Dijon due to a foot injury and a toe injury, but that didn’t stop Portuguese giants Sporting from signing him for €7.5 million and sending Mama Baldé the other way. However, his debut season in Lisbon was disrupted by foot problems, making just 16 appearances before making the move to Istanbul and joining Beşiktaş. Rosier excelled in Türkiye, racking up three goals and seven assists across 37 matches and helping them win the domestic treble. He was even named in the 2020/21 Süper Lig Team of the Season.
“When you are at Beşiktaş, you live life like you’re a king. You have your own driver, when you go out, everyone wants to take a picture with you, and the matchday atmosphere thanks to such a big fanbase…you feel like you’re important. When I signed, I didn’t know much about the level in Türkiye I thought it might be a bit easy, but it wasn’t, and you see that whenever Galatasaray plays Manchester United or another big team, they play well. It was a very nice experience.”
Adjusting to Life in LaLiga
He made 126 appearances for Beşiktaş before returning to his homeland in January 2024 and joining OGC Nice on loan, playing just three times before joining newly promoted LaLiga side Leganés on a free transfer. Rosier made his Spanish football debut on August 17, 2024, at Osasuna, completing four tackles, six clearances, and two interceptions in a 1-1 draw and making a lasting impression on Los Rojillos.
Although he was unable to keep Leganés afloat, he nevertheless proved indispensable in their backline, playing 32 times in the league and four in the Copa del Rey and leading the team in interceptions per game (1.6) and tackles per game (2.2). And whilst his performances attracted interest from teams like Fulham and Eintracht Frankfurt, he ultimately decided to join Osasuna on a free transfer, penning a three-year contract at the Pamplona-based outfit.
Rosier has been heavily involved from the outset, playing in each of their six preseason friendlies (starting in four of them) and quickly getting adjusted to his new surroundings. Osasuna’s sole recruit alongside Víctor Muñoz, Rosier will be looking to make an instant impact under new manager Alessio Lisci and help them progress in their seventh straight season in the top-flight. And after a summer that saw them lose their starting right back in Jesús Areso, as well as the backup in Rubén Peña, all signs point to him locking down a starting spot on 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.”
Gunning for Glory at El Sadar
Having conceded three goals and lost in each of his three encounters with Real Madrid last season, Rosier will be seeking to turn around his fortunes against Los Blancos and get the season up and running, and inspire Osasuna to their first win against Real since January 30, 2011. However, after a decade in professional football, he’s well aware that the upcoming season will be a marathon rather than a sprint as they look to qualify for the main draw of a European competition for the first time in 20 years (they lost to Club Brugge in the 2023/24 UEFA Conference League qualifiers).
“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.”
As he approaches 29 years of age, Rosier is not only steering clear of the niggling injuries that plagued the start of his career, but he’s also adding new layers to his game and emerging as a vital cog in defense. And after joining his fourth club since the start of 2024, he’ll be looking to achieve some stability at El Sadar and further establish himself as one of LaLiga’s preeminent right backs.
“Osasuna fans want a player who will fight for the club and play with their heart, who will defend well, and that’s what I like to do on the pitch. I’m not the best, but I play with my heart. I fight for every single game, I don’t like to lose, and I think I will provide something a little different with my style on the pitch, my qualities and personality. I’ve improved more tactically than technically in recent years, I know how to make the pass, when to release it, whether to run or not, whether to cross or not. No matter what my age is, I work, train and do the same stuff, but now I have more experience and control myself more. And as long as my body keeps telling me I can play, I will play.”
