Barça, to redouble the league bet against Valencia

Barça, to redouble the league bet against Valencia

Xavi's men continue with casualties but they don't want to revive the 'che' to put pressure on Real Madrid

MADRID, 4 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

FC Barcelona receives Valencia this Sunday (16.15) on matchday 24 of LaLiga Santander with the aim of rebuilding its leadership after its last setback in Almería but with the balm of beating Real Madrid, in the heat of the Spotify Camp Nou so as not to give foot to the greater reaction of a team 'che' that believes in Rubén Baraja.

Xavi Hernández's team resumes the league fight after a week of Clásico, on Thursday at the Santiago Bernabéu where the Catalan team scored by the minimum (0-1) to bring the Copa del Rey final closer. A repairing victory after that setback against the Andalusians and the elimination in the Europa League the week before.

Barça, seven points ahead of Real Madrid in their attempt to reconquer the League four years later, maintains the upper hand, but the first defeats after 18 games uncovered certain doubts. The culé fan feared for another season in the trash even, that's how it was internationally with the defeat against Manchester United, but for now the situation is propitious.

The key weeks of the course have caught Barça with important casualties due to injury, but at the Bernabéu he came out on top with defense and showing that there is faith in the Terrassa project. The Culé coach and his team missed Pedri at Old Trafford and also in Almería, while in the Cup he could not count on Robert Lewandowski either. To them is added the absence of Dembélé in the last month.

Without their three most important offensive players, the Barça team entrusted themselves to the work of Araujo, Koundé and Kessié at the Bernabéu, and Xavi will have to continue spinning fine lines against Valencia. The Catalan coach will not be able to count on that vital trident against the 'che', nor with Gavi due to suspension, with the question of whether he gives Ansu Fati the alternative, maintains his preference for Ferran Torres or the two have to play the same.

The wear and tear against Madrid, where Barça ran after the ball like few times even though they won the prize of victory, can take its toll. Meanwhile, Valencia will jump to the Camp Nou fresh and with a happy week to prepare for the game, also with some important absence, after the victory (1-0) over Real Sociedad in Mestalla.

The Valencian fiefdom welcomed a legendary player like Rubén Baraja who, in his second game as coach, achieved a vital victory, the first of 2023. After the dismissal of Gennaro Gattuso at the end of January and the lack of efficiency this time of the eternal 'Voro', Valencia resorts to 'Pipo'.

The crisis that has been around the city of Turia in recent years has boiled over this season with the team in relegation places after 23 games and despite that victory against Real. Of course, the three points nine days later returned faith to Mestalla and some communion at least with the team and the coach, since with the board it is still total war.

To make the reaction good, the 'che' team aspires to double the bet at the leader's home, with Hugo Guillamón, Dimitri Foulquier and Samuel Lino as important men against casualties such as Cavani, Nico González or Marcos André. A Barça that wants to go to 10 points before Real Madrid visits Real Betis is confident of consolidating its league fight as it did with the cup.

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Christensen, Wednesday, Thursday; Busquets, Kessie, De Jong; Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Ansu Fati.

VALENCY CF: Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Cömert, Diakhaby, Lato; Castillejo, William, Almeida, Yunus; Hugh Hard, Samuel Flax.

--REFEREE: Alberola Rojas (C. Castilla-La Mancha)

--STADIUM: Spotify Camp Nou.

--TIME: 4:15 p.m./Movista LaLiga.