Barça seeks refuge in the League after its European ordeal
Valencia wants to take advantage of the ‘culé’ pain in the Mestalla tribute to David Villa
BARCELONA, 28 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona will travel this Saturday (9:00 p.m.) to Mestalla to face Valencia CF, in a duel where the azulgranas want to take refuge from their European ordeal in LaLiga Santander, after a convulsive month that leaves them without ‘Champions’ and with the obligation to not lose rope in the fight for domestic competition.
Halloween was brought forward at Can Barça and the night of terror was repeated repeatedly throughout Europe. Banished for the second consecutive year to the ‘Europa League’, Xavi Hernández’s men no longer want to continue in a state of panic and for that they want to take advantage of his chance for the league title.
Mestalla will measure the resilience of a team down in Europe, but strengthened in the League. An ambiguity that has led them to bottom out during the week, to subscribe to Thursday matches, while keeping their aspirations for the throne intact in the regular competition.
The only exception to his excellence was against his eternal rival in the Classic, snatching the throne from them at his worst moment of the campaign. Now, three points away from Real Madrid, Barça is again focusing its focus to recover the best version of the team in the last sprint before the World Cup in Qatar.
In a complicated trip to Valencia, the Catalan team wants to make up for it and take advantage of some occasions that did not appear in their painful goodbye to the ‘Champions’ against Bayern Munich (0-3). To do this, Xavi could prepare a revolution in attack, with the entry of Ansu Fati or Ferran Torres in the eleven, both of whom have come to the fore in recent weeks.
In the case of Raphinha, the Brazilian winger has not shone since his arrival in Barcelona, ??an inglorious step that made him lose prominence in the team when he came off the bench against the Bavarian team. The opposite of Frenkie de Jong, one of the few positive news of the ‘culé’ team, key in the gear.
Gavi, with physical discomfort, could rest again, so the Dutchman could continue inside ahead of Sergio Busquets, and accompanied by Pedri. Eric García will also arrive with his batteries charged, who wins integers to accompany Koundé, like Jordi Alba on the left side and Héctor Bellerín on the right.
For its part, Gennaro Gattuso’s team wants to take advantage of Barcelona’s discouragement in paying tribute to a ‘che’ player who will have a divided heart this Saturday. For this reason, the fans will pay tribute to Davis Villa, with a canvas that will be provisionally placed for the occasion in the center of the main façade of the Camp de Mestalla, together with Puchades and Mario Alberto Kempes.
On the pitch, Valencia does not want to miss the European train, which is three points away. A high duel in which they want to win again, having not done so since the beginning of October, accompanied by three draws and one defeat.
Regarding the losses for the duel, Gattuso acknowledged that they have “problems in the midfield and in defense” with the absence of the injured Ilaix Moriba and Mouctar Diakhaby, while Samu Castillejo and Eray Cömert are “well” and available. “Musah is suspended and Nico cannot play because of the clause,” he recalled, noting that he will decide later if Foulquier plays “in midfield or as a winger.”
On the other hand, Xavi, who maintains the loss of Sergi Roberto, Araújo, Christensen and Memphis, sees Nico’s clause “well”. “He’s our player, we trust him a lot and what we don’t want is for him to harm us. I see it as a positive point and it’s a decision made by the club,” he settled.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Hector Bellerin, Eric Garcia, Koundé, Jordi Alba; De Jong, Pedri and Gavi; Ferran Torres, Lewandowski and Raphinha.
VALENCY CF: Mamardashvili; Thierry, Cömert, Gabriel Paulista, Gaia; William, Foulquier, Almeida; Kluivert, Samuel Flax and Cavani.
–ARBITOR: De Burgos Bengoetxea (C.Vasco).
–STADIUM: Mestalla.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./DAZN LaLiga.
