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La Liga | Gameweek 28
Jun 13, 2020 at 9pm UK
Estadi de Son Moix
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Mallorca
0 - 4
Barcelona


Rodriguez (86')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Vidal (2'), Braithwaite (37'), Alba (80'), Messi (90+3')
Vidal (42'), Alba (73')

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez fit for Barcelona's first game back

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez fit for Barcelona's first game back
© Reuters
Pair prepare to pose a threat against relegation-threatened hosts.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will be available for selection when Barcelona return to LaLiga action at Mallorca on Saturday night.

Messi has returned to full training after missing a few sessions last week with a thigh issue as the league leaders ready themselves for their first game in three months.

Suarez, meanwhile, thought his season had been ended when he underwent surgery on his right knee in January, but Barca head coach Quique Setien confirmed he would have the Uruguayan and Messi at his disposal.

He said at a press conference: “Fortunately Messi, these kinds of players that have been playing for so many years, they know how to control their fatigue.

Luis Suarez had surgery on his right knee in January (Peter Byrne/PA)
Luis Suarez had surgery on his right knee in January (Peter Byrne/PA)

“I’m sure if there’s some risk, Messi will be the first to say that he needs to rest.

“Every day (Suarez) is in better shape and after five months it’s going to be great for him to play some minutes and try to find the best Suarez.”

LaLiga became the second major European league to resume behind closed doors on Thursday evening amid the coronavirus pandemic, after the Bundesliga restarted last month.

Setien admitted to some trepidation as he added: “All the managers are worried because we don’t know exactly how everything will go in this first game.

“We can expect it but we don’t know how we will answer to this new situation. – if Barcelona will be the Barcelona that we saw before the break, or if we will see a new Barcelona.

“Also, we don’t know if we will face a different or the same Mallorca.”

Real Madrid will return to the Bernabeu on Sunday (Nick Potts/PA)
Real Madrid will return to the Bernabeu on Sunday (Nick Potts/PA)

Barca can extend their advantage atop the standings to five points on a day where rock-bottom Espanyol will play Alaves, Celta Vigo welcome Villarreal and struggling Leganes play host to Real Valladolid.

Second-placed Real Madrid return to the Bernabeu on Sunday as they host Eibar, Atletico Madrid travel to Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna go to Real Sociedad.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich could move closer to an eighth successive top-flight title with victory against Borussia Monchengladbach at teatime on Saturday.

The Bavarian giants are seven points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who go to Fortuna Dusseldorf earlier on Saturday, with four games left.

However, they will be without midfielder Thiago, who has undergone groin surgery, while strike pair Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski are suspended after collecting their fifth yellow cards in last week’s win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Robert Lewandowski is suspended for Bayern Munich's game against Borussia Monchengladbach (John Walton/PA)
Robert Lewandowski is suspended for Bayern Munich’s game against Borussia Monchengladbach (John Walton/PA)

While they have won their last 12 competitive fixtures, reaching the DFB Cup final after downing Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, Bayern boss Hansi Flick knows the past few weeks have taken their toll.

He said: “We’re focused on ourselves, we want to win our matches. Of course the last few weeks have been exhausting. But we’ve managed it so that those who’ll play can turn in a top performance.”

Gladbach were the last side to defeat Bayern in the reverse fixture six months ago, and Flick added: “They’ve assembled a good team, they play attractive football and are enjoying a very successful season.”

Cologne welcome Union Berlin, whose city rivals Hertha host Eintracht Frankfurt, while Werder Bremen travel to Paderborn and Freiburg visit Wolfsburg.

On Sunday, Mainz go up against Augsburg and Bayer Leverkusen go to Schalke.

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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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