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Attendance: 81,617
Barcelona logo
La Liga | Gameweek 4
Sep 14, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Valencia logo

5-2

Fati (2'), de Jong (7'), Pique (51'), Suarez (61', 82')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Gameiro (27'), Gomez (92')

How Barcelona could line up against Valencia

Sports Mole looks at how Barcelona could line up in Saturday's La Liga clash with Valencia.

Having made their worst start to a La Liga campaign since 2008, Barcelona will be desperate to put three points on the board when they welcome Valencia to Camp Nou on Saturday night.

The Spanish champions are currently eighth in the table on four points - already five points off Atletico Madrid, who have won all three of their games this season.

Barca started the 2019-20 season with a 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao, before putting five past Real Betis in a 5-2 home win on August 25. Ernesto Valverde's team could not make it back-to-back victories last time out, though, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Osasuna.

Valencia beat Barca 2-1 in the Copa del Rey final at the end of last season, while the two teams played out two draws in La Liga during the 2018-19 campaign.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Catalan giants could line up on home soil.


POSS BAR XI vs. VAL

Out: Ousmane Dembele (hamstring), Samuel Umtiti (foot), Lionel Messi (calf), Neto (wrist)

Lionel Messi will once again miss out for Barca as the Argentina international struggles to shake off the calf problem that he suffered during a training session at the start of August.

Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti will be absent with hamstring and foot injuries, in addition to number two goalkeeper Neto following a wrist operation.

Luis Suarez has trained this week following a calf problem, though, and the Uruguay international is expected to return to the starting XI for the first time since the defeat to Bilbao.

Carles Perez scored against Betis before providing two assists in the clash with Osasuna last time out, and the 21-year-old could continue in the final third alongside Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez.

Midfield is also another interesting area with Ivan Rakitic being tipped to come in for Sergi Roberto, although Arthur and Arturo Vidal are also options in the middle of the park.

Nelson Semedo had emerged as a doubt earlier this week due to an ankle problem that he suffered on international duty; the right-back has trained ahead of the match, though, and is again expected to line up in defence alongside Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba.

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Written by
Matt Law
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Mallorca188371821-327
6Villarreal167542827126
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Celta Vigo176382528-321
13Rayo Vallecano165561819-120
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1642101528-1314
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia152491323-1010


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