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[monks data]
Eibar logo
La Liga
Mar 14, 2015 at 5pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Messi (31' pen., 55')

Preview: Eibar vs. Barcelona

Sports Mole previews the match between La Liga leaders Barcelona and Eibar.

Barcelona will be looking to consolidate their place at the top of La Liga when they travel in Eibar in the Spanish top flight this weekend.

Jose Enrique's men climbed back into top spot following an emphatic 6-1 win over Rayo Vallecano last Sunday, capitalising on Real Madrid's surprise defeat the day before.

With El Clasico just around the corner, a win this weekend would help the Catalan side keep Real, who are just a point adrift, behind them.

This match does come just a few days before the second leg of Barcelona's Champions League match against Manchester City, with a place in the quarter-finals of the competition up for grabs, so some players could be rested against a side that have not won in their last seven.

Neymar was suspended for the clash against Rayo, so could come in for the visitors, potentially allowing Luis Suarez or Pedro to be rested, but Jordi Alba and Dani Alves will both miss out after picking up a fifth yellow and a red card respectively at Camp Nou last weekend.

Midfielder Sergio Busquets will miss out though as he continues to battle a knee injury which could keep him out of the clash with Real Madrid later this month.

Meanwhile, Eibar will be hoping to end a run of seven straight defeats in the league, a run which has left them just three points clear of the relegation zone.

This weekend's hosts threw away a lead against Levante last weekend, suffering a 2-1 defeat, but Saul Berjon's goal did end their four-match goal drought.

Dani Garcia will not be available in midfield as he was sent off late on last time, meaning that he is suspended, while Didac Vila remains a doubt with a muscle strain that has kept him out for the last month.

Eibar will also be without Angel, as he underwent emergency appendix surgery on Saturday after dropping out of the defeat to Levante, ruling him out for the next month.

When Barcelona hosted Eibar earlier in the season, they secured a 3-0 win at Camp Nou.

Eibar:

Form in La Liga: LLLLLL
Form in all competitions: LLLLLL

Possible starting lineup: Jaime, Boveda, Ekiza, Lillo, Navas, Capa, Errasti, Manu, Berjon, Nieto, Lekic

Barcelona:

Form in La Liga: WWWLWW
Form in all competitions: WLWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Bravo, Pique, Adriano, Bartra, Mathieu, Rakitic, Iniesta, Mascherano, Pedro, Neymar, Messi

Sports Mole says: 0-3


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Sian Cowper
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
2Real Madrid18124241182340
3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Real BetisBetis186752122-125
10Osasuna186752327-425
11Celta Vigo187382728-124
12Rayo Vallecano185762021-122
13Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
14Sevilla186482027-722
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


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