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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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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15AlavesAlaves134181422-813
16Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
17Getafe13175811-310
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid132381025-159
20Valencia11146817-97


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