Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano: Team News, Preview, Live Stream and TV Info
Barcelona have the earliest of kick-offs when they entertain Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou.
A midday (local time) start will shake off the cobwebs and could be a leveller in this game. After all, Barca have struggled with earlier starts for a while now.
Paco Jemez's side will, as usual, give absolutely everything for their manager, and one of the most enchanting things about Jemez is that he refuses to deviate to another way of playing despite possibly garnering more success from it.
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When you consider that the Catalans have put 31 goals past Rayo in the last seven meetings, per Fussball Wettpoint, and Jemez's side have managed just one in response, arguably the manager needs to review his policy.
However, he is steadfast in his refusal to play anything other than attractive attacking football and that really needs to be recognised, and indeed applauded.
With bigger fish to fry in the coming weeks, Luis Enrique may switch his personnel around. Given their dominance in the fixture he might be tempted to oversee wholesale changes, but paying Rayo such little respect could have jarring consequences.
Date: Sunday, March 8
Time: 11 a.m. GMT/6 a.m ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 5 (UK only)/beIN Sports 1 (USA only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/beIN Sports Connect (USA only)
Form Lines
| Barcelona | Rayo Vallecano |
| W 3-1 vs. Villarreal | W 4-2 vs Levante |
| W 3-1 vs. Granada | L 0-1 vs Athletic Club |
| W 2-1 vs. Manchester City | W 2-0 vs Villarreal |
| L 0-1 vs. Malaga | L 0-2 vs Elche |
| W 5-0 vs. Levante | L 1-2 vs Deportivo La Coruna |
| W 3-1 vs. Villarreal | L 1-3 vs. Atletico Madrid |
WhoScored.com
Predicted Formations
Alberto Bueno can't have had too many better weekends than the one against Levante last time out.
Four goals in 15 first-half minutes, including a perfect hat-trick, will have the striker high on confidence when the lightning face the Blaugrana.
Manucho did well alongside and may well keep Leo Baptistao on the substitutes' bench for the visit to Catalonia.
Gael Kakuta's industry sees him keep his slot on the right-hand side, backed up by the effervescent Roberto Trashorras, who was again in the thick of the action against Levante.
Raul Baena and Lica should've done enough to keep their places, completing a buoyant and attack-minded midfield.
Paco Jemez's back four continues to pick itself so expect to see all of Nacho, Antonio Amaya, Ze Castro and Tito retain their starting spots.
Cristian Alvarez is given one of the hardest jobs on the pitch. That of keeping a clean sheet for his side for the first time in eight visits to Camp Nou.
Luis Enrique has two enforced changes to contend with after Neymar's booking at Granada last week ruled him out of this one, and Sergio Busquets was the victim of a nasty tackle at Villarreal.
Pedro Rodriguez should be a simple replacement alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. If the latter plays as well against Rayo as he did against Granada, he shouldn't expect to be unceremoniously subbed off again.
Xavi is likely to keep his place with Andres Iniesta rested for bigger fish to fry later in the month. Javier Mascherano will slot into the midfield in place of Busquets.
Jordi Alba is walking a disciplinary tightrope and is just one booking away from missing the next game.
We could even see a deliberate yellow to rule him out of the Eibar fixture but allowing him to be available for El Clasico.
Ivan Rakitic has played himself into something approaching his Sevilla form and is an easy pick.
Gerard Pique will resume his defensive duties alongside Marc Bartra, while Dani Alves may be given the week off to recharge the batteries. Martin Montoya will deputise.
Claudio Bravo of course takes up his usual position between the posts.
Player to watch
At 34 years old, Roberto Trashorras is fast approaching the autumn of his career but age has not wearied him. Quite the opposite in fact.
As with Xavi Hernandez at Barca, Trashorras continues to delight with his passing accuracy and general all-round excellence.
Twenty-eight chances created, per Squawka, places him second only to Gael Kakuta at the club but is a little misleading. Trashorras is the legs and engine room of the side and the conduit through which any good work flows.
One player doesn't make a team of course but without him, Rayo are an entirely different proposition.
Key Battle
With four goals and five assists, per WhoScored.com, Gael Kakuta remains a threat for the lightning.
Still registered as a Chelsea player, Rayo is the sixth loan destination in four years for the 23-year-old Frenchman.
And there are signs he has finally settled somewhere. The goals and chances he has created during the season are way above what he has produced previously; Jemez is evidently getting the best out of the player.
Kakuta is still a little rough around the edges and has missed more than he has scored or created. But his 43 chances created across the season, per Squawka, is the highest for his club and the industry speaks for itself.
The likelihood is that he will keep Montoya tied up for much of the game with a tireless work rate to more than match the youngster.
If Montoya's forays into the opposition half are halted, no doubt that Jemez will instruct Kakuta to get at him time and again to disrupt his natural game.
It may well bring unexpected dividends for the away side.
Odds
The following pre-match odds are available via our betting partner Odds Shark:
Home Win: 1/20
Away Win: 25/1
Draw: 12/1
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