How will Barça line up towards Atlético?

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The leaders host the Colchoneros on Sunday

Barcelona look to keep away from drama within the La Liga title race once they welcome Atlético Madrid to the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon on the lookout for an important victory in what has been their worst stretch of the season.

Two goalless attracts in a row have opened the door for anxiousness and given a tough schedule forward over the following three weeks, Barça merely can not afford to drop extra factors if they need a snug end to their chase for the trophy.

Atlético are nonetheless dreaming of second place and would love so as to add to Barça’s troubles with an upset this weekend, so this one guarantees to be a really tough match for the house crew. Right here’s how we expect Xavi Hernández will line up his troops on Sunday.

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Protection

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This week’s coaching classes have introduced loads of excellent news as three essential starters are again with the group and two of them are practically assured to return for this one. However the protection continues to be lacking Andreas Christensen, who ought to be again quickly however isn’t able to play simply but.

Sergi Roberto’s probably season-ending harm additionally hurts the depth on the again, so protecting the remaining gamers wholesome is a precedence over the following couple of weeks. However for an enormous recreation like this there can’t be any rotation, so Jules Kounde will begin at right-back, Ronald Araujo will probably be one of many center-backs and Alejandro Balde will probably be on the left.

The one doubt is Araujo’s accomplice who may very well be both Eric García or Marcos Alonso. Neither seems like an incredible alternative, however Eric has been in higher kind not too long ago and may get the nod over Alonso.

Midfield

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Frenkie De Jong and Pedri will make the squad on Sunday which is gigantic information for a Barça midfield in determined want of creativity. It stays to be seen in the event that they’re prepared for giant minutes but, and Pedri’s situation is of particular curiosity contemplating his for much longer absence in comparison with De Jong.

For that cause it’s extra possible that we see Pedri come off the bench within the second half to not power him into motion too quickly, however Frenkie might be beginning since he was already a late scratch final week and has had seven full days of preparation for this one. He’ll accomplice Sergio Busquets within the center, and his return most likely brings the four-midfielder system again within the fold.

With out the injured Roberto and assuming Gavi will play up entrance, Franck Kessie will full the midfield quartet from the beginning.

Assault

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Ousmane Dembélé is the third key starter again from harm and the Frenchman was a full participant in coaching within the subsequent couple of days, however stories from Catalonia say the teaching workers received’t threat it with Dembélé and he’s unlikely to start out — and may not characteristic in any respect.

With that in thoughts — and assuming Gavi begins on the left — there will probably be one spot open on the precise wing and three not excellent choices within the offended Raphinha, the out-of-form Ferran Torres and the not-great-on-the-right Ansu Fati. Raphinha normally wins that battle, and he more than likely get yet another probability to start out and switch his fortunes round after a number of dangerous video games in a row.

Robert Lewandowski will as soon as once more lead the road hoping to finish a three-game aim drought, and with De Jong and Pedri again within the fold the Pole will get pleasure from a lot better service than he’s had in the previous few weeks.

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Doable XI: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Eric, Balde; Kessie, Busquets, De Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi (4-3-3)

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