MX23RW : Sunday, December 22 21:11:41| >> :120:10532:10532:
[monks data]
Villarreal logo
La Liga | Gameweek 21
Feb 12, 2023 at 8pm UK
Estadio de la Cerámica
Barcelona logo

Villarreal
0 - 1
Barcelona


Torres (37'), Baena (49'), Parejo (62'), Moreno (71')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Pedri (18')
Araujo (43'), de Jong (56'), Kounde (58'), Raphinha (81')

Barcelona missing two players for Villarreal contest

Barcelona missing two players for Villarreal contest
© Reuters
Barcelona will be missing Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Busquets for Sunday night's La Liga contest with Villarreal.

Barcelona boss Xavi has named his squad for Sunday's La Liga contest against Villarreal, with Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele, as expected, the only absentees.

Busquets is facing a spell on the sidelines with the ankle injury that he picked up in the team's 3-0 victory over Sevilla in La Liga last weekend.

Dembele, meanwhile, suffered a hamstring problem at the end of January, and the France international is not expected to be back on the field until the middle of next month.

A timeframe for Busquets has not been set, although it is believed that the experienced midfielder will be missing for the remainder of the month.

Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele on January 8, 2023© Reuters

Barcelona otherwise have a full squad available for this match, while there is another spot in the selection for teenage forward Angel Alarcon.

During his pre-match press conference, the Catalan club's head coach Xavi picked out Yellow Submarine duo Dani Parejo and Pepe Reina when discussing Villarreal's threat this weekend.

"Villarreal are a great team with a philosophy very similar to ours. Parejo is an extraordinary player and Pepe Reina is very good with his feet," he told reporters.

Xavi also insisted that he is not prioritising La Liga over the Europa League, as Barcelona prepare to welcome Manchester United for the first leg of their knockout round playoff next Thursday.

FC Barcelona coach Xavi reacts on January 8, 2023© Reuters

"I don't prioritise La Liga over the Europa League. We want to win every game and we give the same importance to all competitions," the head coach added.

Xavi, meanwhile, refused to give any indication of his formation on Sunday evening, with the Spaniard needing to bring in a replacement for the injured Busquets.

"I never explain the team's ideas in advance but we will decide tomorrow. Busquets's loss is important, we will miss him especially when it's time to pause," said the Spaniard.

Barcelona will be bidding to make it 11 straight wins in all competitions on Sunday night.

Barcelona squad vs. Villarreal:

Ter Stegen, Pena, Tenas; Araujo, Christensen, Alonso, Alba, Roberto, Kounde, E Garcia, Balde; Gavi, Pedri, Kessie, F de Jong, Torre; Lewandowski, Fati, F Torres, Raphinha, Alarcon

ID:506474:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4107:
Written by
Matt Law
No Data Analysis info

Click here for more stories about Dani Parejo

Click here for more stories about Barcelona

Game History

How you voted: Villarreal vs Barcelona

Villarreal
10.6%
Draw
10.1%
Barcelona
79.3%
217
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets on October 16, 2022
Read Next:
Busquets 'disappointed with Laporta over contract situation'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Lions
@
Bears
6pm
Browns
@
Bengals
6pm
Patriots
@
Bills
6pm
Titans
@
Colts
6pm
Giants
@
Falcons
6pm
Rams
@
Jets
6pm
Cardinals
@
Panthers
6pm
Eagles
@
Washington
9.05pm
Vikings
@
Seahawks
9.25pm
49ers
@
Dolphins
9.25pm
Jags
@
Raiders
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
2Real Madrid18124241182340
3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Osasuna186752327-425
10Celta Vigo187382728-124
11Real BetisBetis176652021-124
12Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
13Sevilla186482027-722
14Rayo Vallecano175661920-121
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!