Barcelona host Real Valladolid in La Liga after beating Slavia Prague 2-1 away from home in the Champions League last time out as they maintain their recent run of good form.
Valladolid, meanwhile, have been in decent form themselves, claiming a 2-0 victory over Eibar at home in their previous game.
Match preview
© Reuters
Barcelona come into the clash with Valladolid off the back of a 2-1 victory over Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
The result sees the Blaugrana stretch their recent winning streak to six games, much improved from their shaky start to the season in which they claimed just two victories from their first six matches.
The upturn in results has coincided, unsurprisingly, with the return to fitness of star man Lionel Messi, who has scored once in each of his last three games across all competitions, also registering an assist in that time.
However, Barcelona need a result against Valladolid if they are to return to the summit of La Liga, with newly-promoted Granada moving ahead of them in the standings, having played a game more.
Barca were due to participate in El Clasico before facing Valladolid, but the game has had to be postponed due to political protests over the Catalan independence.
As a result, both Barca and Real Madrid find themselves a game behind the rest of the league ahead of the next round of fixtures.
Valladolid will hope that they can maintain their five-game unbeaten run when they make the trip to Camp Nou, but Barcelona have won all four of their La Liga fixtures at home this season.
The ninth-placed outfit have conceded just once in their last four games, however, and will hope that their staunch defence can earn them at least a point.
Barcelona form: WWWWWW
Real Valladolid form: LDWDDW
Team News
© Reuters
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has just two players set to be missing for the visit of Valladolid.
Samuel Umtiti continues to be sidelined through injury, meaning that the usual partnership of Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique will be expected to continue at the heart of defence.
Additionally, Sergi Roberto is a major doubt, so Nelson Semedo is likely to start at right-back, with the former set to be fit enough for the bench at best.
Valladolid boss Sergio, on the other hand, has not been so lucky with injuries and has a depleted squad to contend with.
Luismi, Javi Sanchez, Ruben Alcaraz, Fede, Sandro Ramirez and Pablo Hervias have all struggled with injury this season and Sergio may well have to make do without them.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, Arthur, De Jong; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Masip; Moyano, Kiko, Salisu, Nacho; Plano, Fernandez, Michel, Suarez; Unal, Guardiola
We say: Barcelona 2-1 Real Valladolid
While Barcelona are overwhelming favourites and will be fancied to win, Valladolid are a solid outfit at the back and have actually conceded fewer goals than the Blaugrana this season. Expect Barcelona to have too much at home, but Valladolid are unlikely to be rolled over.
No Data Analysis info
