Barcelona v Villareal: La Liga returns to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Saturday, January 27th, as Barcelona plays host to Villarreal for a crucial match in the race for the title. Both teams come into the match in good form, with Barcelona sitting third in the table and Villarreal in 15th. However, despite their current positions, this is always a close and competitive fixture, and there is no doubt that both sides will be eager to take all three points.
Barcelona v Villareal Form
Villarreal are currently in 14th place in the La Liga standings and have flattered to deceive so far this season. The away side played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mallorca last week and will need to take it up a notch in this match.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are in third place in the league table at the moment and have largely failed to meet expectations so far this season. The Catalan giants crashed out of the Copa del Rey after a 4-2 defeat against Athletic Bilbao in their previous game and will need to bounce back this weekend.
The Blaugrana remain in the title race alongside the likes of Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and Girona but have a massive deficit to overcome to push for the league crown. The Catalan side has stuttered with alarming regularity so far and has a point to prove in fixture.
Barcelona v Villarreal H2H
Despite historically dominating Villarreal with 31 wins in their last 49 meetings, Barcelona face a challenge. Their defense has been shaky, conceding the most goals (24) among the top six La Liga teams. Meanwhile, Villarreal are winless in their last four, but hungry for a turnaround after their 3-2 victory against Celta Vigo last month. This encounter promises intrigue, with Barcelona’s usual edge tempered by defensive woes and Villarreal seeking to capitalize on their recent resurgence.
Barcelona v Villarreal Team News
Barcelona:
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Injury concerns continue to plague the Blaugrana, with Raphinha, Inigo Martinez, Marcos Alonso, Gavi, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen ruled out.
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Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde join the absentee list after picking up knocks in the previous match.
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Ronald Araujo is expected to play despite a recent knee issue.
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Joao Cancelo is likely to start after recovering from a knee problem.
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Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres are set to flank Robert Lewandowski up front, with Joao Felix out of favor.
Villarreal:
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Pepe Reina misses out due to suspension, joining the injured Alfonso Pedraza, Ramon Terrats, Dani Parejo, Raul Albiol, Juan Foyth, Yeremy Pino, and Denis Suarez.
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Head coach Marcelino might stick with the lineup that faced Mallorca, featuring Sorloth and Gerard Moreno in attack.
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Alex Baena is expected to keep his wide position, while Santi Comesana and Francis Coquelin could retain their midfield spots despite Etienne Capoue’s availability.
Possible lineups:
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Barcelona: Pena; Roberto, Araujo, Kounde, Cancelo; Pedri, F de Jong, Gundogan; Torres, Lewandowski, Yamal
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Villarreal: Jorgensen; Femenia, Bailly, Cuenca, A Moreno; Akhomach, Comesana, Coquelin, Baena; G Moreno,Sorloth
Prediction
Despite Villarreal’s recent struggles and their own injury woes, Barcelona face a potentially tricky encounter this Saturday. Both teams will miss key players, adding an element of uncertainty to the match. While Barcelona boast the advantage of being reigning champions and historically dominating this matchup, the visitors will be eager to capitalize on any cracks in the Blaugrana’s armor. We believe Barcelona will have the edge in this game and will win in 90 mins
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