Barcelona will be looking to make it five La Liga victories in a row when they continue their domestic campaign at home to an out-of-form Elche side on Saturday afternoon.
The Catalan outfit are currently second in the table, two points behind the leaders Real Madrid, while Elche are down in 19th, having only picked up one point from their first five games of the season.
Match preview
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Since being held to a goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano on the opening weekend of the new campaign, Barcelona have been in brilliant form in La Liga, recording four straight wins, scoring 15 times in the process and conceding just once.
A 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on August 21 was followed by a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid, while they have also beaten Sevilla 3-0 and Cadiz 4-0 in their last two league games, which were both away from home.
Barcelona have picked up 13 points from their opening five matches of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign, which has left them in second spot in the table, two points behind Real Madrid, who have made a 100% start.
Xavi's side will enter this match off the back of a defeat, though, having suffered a 2-0 reverse to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday night; it was a largely even game in Munich, but the home side scored twice early in the second half through Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane to secure the win.
Barcelona will be determined to enter the international break off the back of a positive result, and they have been victorious in their last six La Liga games with Elche, including a 3-2 success at Camp Nou last term.
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Elche are currently in their third straight La Liga campaign, claiming 13th in the top flight last season, which proved to be their joint-highest finish since 1976-77.
Los Franjiverdes were only four points outside of the relegation zone last term, tough, and they have found it difficult in the early stages of this season, picking up just one point from five games to sit 19th.
Elche have scored just twice and conceded 13, meanwhile, which are worrying statistics ahead of a trip to Camp Nou, especially with Barcelona looking to bounce back from their European disappointment.
Francisco's side started their 2022-23 campaign with a 3-0 defeat at Real Betis before claiming their first point of the season at home to Almeria one week later.
The Green-striped ones have now lost their last three against Real Sociedad, Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao, though, conceding eight times in their last two defeats, while they have shipped 13 goals on their last four visits to Barcelona in Spain's top flight.
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Team News
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Barcelona boss Xavi is again set to have a full squad for this match, with the Catalan outfit not picking up any injuries in the defeat to Bayern in the Champions League.
There are expected to be alterations, though, with Hector Bellerin, Alejandro Balde, Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres potentially all coming into the starting side for this match.
Ansu Fati is also under consideration for a start in the final third, while Franck Kessie and Eric Garcia are pushing for spots in the XI, with Xavi having a strong group to choose from at this moment in time.
Robert Lewandowski failed to score against former club Bayern on Wednesday, but he has already netted six La Liga goals this term and will once again lead the Barcelona attack here.
As for Elche, Gonzalo Verdu is still out with a groin problem, while Gerard Gumbau will miss out on the chance to face his former club, having picked up a hamstring problem against Athletic last time out.
Omar Mascarell is also a doubt, having been replaced in the first half of the match with Ernesto Valverde's side, so there will have to be changes from the team's last match.
Fidel could come into a midfield position, while there might also be a spot in the XI for Ezequiel Ponce, who found the back of the net off the bench in the defeat to Athletic.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Bellerin, Araujo, Kounde, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; F Torres, Lewandowski, Dembele
Elche possible starting lineup:
Badia; Lirola, Roco, Bigas, Mercau; Collado, Fidel; Quina, Ponce, Milla; Boye
We say: Barcelona 3-0 Elche
Elche only narrowly lost (3-2) at Camp Nou last season, but it is difficult to imagine them causing Barcelona too many problems on Saturday afternoon. The home side's recent league form has been excellent, and we are fully expecting them to put another three points on the board here in comfortable fashion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
