win and forget That is the double objective that Barcelona has this Sunday at the Power Horse Stadium. The team led by Xavi Hernández faces Almería, a team with urgency, with the clear mission of turning the page after the elimination of the Europa League at the hands of Manchester United. The culés have the obligation to achieve three points that allow them to continue with the good dynamics in the League, maintain cruising speed and gain morale before visiting the Santiago Bernabéu next Thursday in the Copa del Rey.
“We have to learn from these games. We cannot keep an eye on Thursday, even if it is a Cup classic. We have to be focused on competing tomorrow,” Xavi said this Saturday at the press conference prior to his team’s duel against Almería. The Tarrasa coach knows the importance of leaving behind the setback of the Europa League before the duel against Real Madrid next Thursday, a match that could close a tragic week in the event of defeat or the complete opposite, pave the way for a new ending.
The match against Almería is also an opportunity for Barça to begin to heal the wound suffered at Old Trafford. The culés fell in Europe for the fourth time in just over a year and suffered a new setback in the morale of a group that already felt they could compete with the biggest. It hasn’t been like that either in the Champions League or in the Europa League and now Xavi must raise a team that keeps, yes, intact the good inertia in the League, where he has added 59 of the first 66 points in play, and where he can give a new hit on the table if he manages to win again at home, a habitat in which Xavi has been especially comfortable since he landed on the culé bench.
For this, the Tarrasa coach will not be able to count on two fundamental footballers in his team’s gear and another who was aiming to be, but who is currently halfway there. Pedri, Dembélé and Ansu Fati will not be there due to injury and his absence will condition an eleven in which the main novelty will be the return of Gavi after his suspension due to suspension in the Europa League. The young midfielder will play in the midfield alongside Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and a third member who will come from the Kessié-Sergi Roberto duo. The other doubt for Xavi is behind. Ronald Araujo had to retire at Old Trafford due to physical problems and may be one of the players who has a rest in favor of Eric García before the transcendental cup match that the Catalans will play against Real Madrid next Thursday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
A rival with urgency
In front will be a team in low hours and that needs to eat to start adding points to escape the burning of relegation. Almería has gotten into serious trouble in recent days after three consecutive setbacks against Rayo Vallecano, Betis and Girona. Especially complicated was the duel against the latter with a 6-2 that Rubi described as “the hardest day” of his career as a coach and that has caused an earthquake in a group that hopes to show its head nothing more and nothing less than against the leader of the competition, a whole Barcelona. To do this, Rubi will be able to count on all of his footballers with the exception of Gonzalo Melero, who continues to have knee problems. It will be the only absence in a team that continues to have defensive problems – only Elche has conceded more goals – and that, despite this, could repeat the 4-3-3 so characteristic of the coach.
-Probable alignments:
Almería: Fernando, Akieme, Babic, Rodrigo Ely, Pozo, Samu Costa, De la Hoz, Robertone, Embarba, Baptistao and Luis Suárez.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Kound, Eric Garcia, Christensen, Jordi Alba, Busquets, De Jong, Sergi Roberto, Gavi, Raphinha and Lewandowski.
Referee: Ortiz Arias (Madrid Committee).
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Estadio: Power Horse Stadium.
TV: Movistar LaLiga.
