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La Liga | Gameweek 24
Feb 16, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Valladolid logo

1-0

Messi (43' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-0)

How Barcelona could line up against Real Valladolid

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

Barcelona will be looking to return to winning ways following three successive draws when they welcome Real Valladolid to Camp Nou in La Liga on Saturday night.

Ernesto Valverde's side are still top of the table, but are now just six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, having drawn their last two league fixtures against Valencia and Athletic Bilbao.

The Catalan giants have only lost two of their 23 league matches this season, though, and have had a free week to prepare for this match as they are not in Champions League last-16 action until February 19.

Barcelona recorded a 1-0 win over Valladolid in the reverse fixture earlier this season, with Ousmane Dembele scoring the only goal of the match just before the hour.

Meanwhile, in the last five league meetings between the two teams at Camp Nou - which have all ended in home victories - Barcelona have scored 20 times.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how Barcelona could line up against Valladolid.


POSS BAR XI vs. VAL

Out: Rafinha (knee), Jasper Cillessen (muscle), Arthur (hamstring)
Doubtful: Samuel Umtiti (knee)

Samuel Umtiti is back in training for Barcelona after seemingly overcoming his troublesome knee problem. The Frenchman has not played for the Catalan giants since November, but is now nearing a first-team return.

It seems likely that Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet will continue in central defence this weekend, though, with Umtiti being eased back into action following a spell on the sidelines.

Jordi Alba will return after missing the draw with Bilbao through suspension, meaning that either Sergi Roberto or Nelson Semedo will drop out of the first XI.

Dembele could take Philippe Coutinho's spot in the final third, while Lionel Messi will have benefited from the break in fixtures to take care of his recent thigh problem and the Argentine should start this weekend.

Arthur is still on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, however, meaning that there could be a start for Carles Alena as Arturo Vidal struggled to impress at Bilbao last time out.

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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
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves134181422-813
17Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179
20Valencia11146817-97


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