FC Barcelona Look To Increase Lead in La Liga Against Valladolid

After the fantastic news that Coach Pep Guardiola will stay at the Camp Nou for another season, The Blaugrana look to continue the form that has seen them score nine goals in the past two La Liga games. 

The disappointment of being eliminated from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Sevilla was short lived as Barca crushed the Andalusian side 4-0 last weekend. 

Lionel Messi has been at the heart of Barcelona's goal explosion (scoring five goals of the team's last nine goals), but Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been unable to find the back of the net in the La Liga since the calendar turned to 2010. 

"I am not worried not to have scored for some time, Ibrahimovic said. "If the team wins, it doesn't matter if I score." However, the former Inter man will be dying to see his name amongst the goal scorers.

Thierry Henry has also been sluggish of late, having scored just twice in 12 league games this season. It would come as no surprise if the Tenerife-born Pedro is handed a spot on the left side of attack by Pep Guardiola. 

In midfield, Sergio Busquets was held out of practice Thursday with renal bruising, but Mali international Seydou Keita has returned from the African Cup of Nations, where his side controversially missed out on the quarterfinals when Angola and Algeria played out a less than spirited 0-0 that ensured both countries qualification.

Despite his country's early exit, Keita was one of the stars of the tournament scoring three goals in three games, including a brilliant free kick against Malawi. The former Sevilla star will be chomping at the bit to put his international heartbreak behind him, but it is not expected that he will start. 

Yaya Toure and his Ivory Coast side are still in the tournament, leaving Pep thin in midfield. If Busquets is not fit enough to play, Gerard Pique or Rafael Marquez could deputize in the holding midfield role. 

Barcelona will certainly look to attack while Valladolid will look to avoid similar embarrassment to the 0-4 loss at the hands of Diego Forlan and Atletico Madrid in the their last home match. 

Paraguay captain Justo Villar will be handed the task of trying to keep out the brilliant Barcelona attack. The Catile and Leon based side will also be suffering from the African Cup of Nations as striker Manucho is on duty with Angola. 

They will have the services of Brazilian midfielder Diego Costa, the club's leading scorer with six La Liga strikes. 

Last April, Barcelona toppled the Pucela 1-0 thanks to a single goal from Samuel Eto'o—since departed for Inter.

Even without Eto'o and a less than stellar Ibra, Barcelona should have far too much for the hosts.

Prediction: Valladolid 1 Barcelona 3