Barcelona vs. Villarreal: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Barcelona face one of their stiffest tests of the season to date against an improving Villarreal side that has been expertly marshaled this term by Marcelino.
The Catalans will have to do battle without the irrepressible talents of Lionel Messi, still sidelined from the injury sustained in the game against Las Palmas earlier in the campaign.
Joining him on the sidelines in another bitter blow for the hosts is Ivan Rakitic. The Croatian pulled up early in the Champions League game against BATE Borisov on Wednesday, and early indications suggest he will also miss the Clasico against Real Madrid on Nov. 21.
The club must be thanking their lucky stars their FIFA-imposed transfer ban is on the verge of concluding.
It's not long until the turn of the year, when Barca can start to rely on the talents of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal, as well as any other players Luis Enrique may add to the roster in the January transfer window.
The manager deserves huge credit for being able to drag the team by the scruff of the neck and keep them competitive in all competitions.
It might not have been pretty at times, and the Blaugrana have been nowhere near their free-flowing best. But to employ a well-worn phrase, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Let’s not forget that at this time 12 months ago, Real Madrid were in the midst of a 22-game winning run and ended up with just the Club World Cup to show for their efforts.
In this, Barca’s last game before they face Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, Enrique will need to rally the troops to ensure a vital three points that, at worst, will keep Barca level at the top going into that match.
Date: Sunday, November 8
Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports 3 HD (UK only) / beIN Sports 1 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only) / beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
It’s a fairly safe bet that Marcelino will play his usual 4-4-2 formation. The same might seem antiquated in this age of false nines and the like, but the manager plays to the strengths of his team, and his players have served him well until now.
Luis Enrique’s attacking 4-3-3 probably needs to be a little more cautious because the Yellow Submarine are experts at incisive and quick counter-attacking.
Roberto Soldado has found a home at El Madrigal, where he is comfortable and back to playing some of his best football.
The locals took to him almost immediately, and that has been reciprocated in his play. Less urgency perhaps, but more considered and certainly more incisive and decisive than his sojourn in north London.
With Cedric Bakambu alongside, the visitors have all bases covered in an attacking sense. Indeed Soldado has often been the willing foil for his colleague.
Despite the injury crisis that has beset Barca, which S. Gomez and M. Soria of Sport noted means 16 players have been struck down at one time or another this season, Enrique has to look to play his strongest possible XI.
Thomas Vermaelen might not be considered everyone’s cup of tea alongside Gerard Pique, but the Belgian has acquitted himself well whenever called upon in 2015, and his inclusion is a necessity in any event because of Javier Mascherano’s ban.
Dani Alves and Jordi Alba make up the back four, and both are likely to be tested by former Barcelona players Denis Suarez and Jonathan Dos Santos.
The midfield battle could be quite something, with Villarreal’s captain Bruno Soriano providing his usual understated excellence. He, perhaps more than Manu Trigueros, will want to get at Sergio Busquets and aim to stop Barca’s attack from building at source.
If Busquets is able to offload, then he’ll have a very willing runner in Sergi Roberto, who will likely be stationed on the right of the midfield three in Rakitic’s absence.
Andres Iniesta’s inclusion against BATE Borisov was a welcome sight for all Cules, and we saw in his 67-minute cameo that his recent spell on the sidelines hasn’t taken away any of his sharpness and speed of thought.
Munir El Haddadi has what is probably going to be his final chance to impress the technical staff alongside La Liga’s two most in-form strikers in Neymar and Luis Suarez. Where would Barcelona be now without the goals and assists input of this fantastic South American double act?
Villarreal's Eric Bailly didn’t have his best game against Sevilla last time out in La Liga, but he can still form a central-defensive partnership with Victor Ruiz that will be difficult to break down.
Much depends on how easily Barcelona can work the channels against Mario and an underperforming Jaume Costa. If the right service is available from the wide areas for Suarez, he should be in the mood to take every chance.
Alphonse Areola and Claudio Bravo will be the custodians charged with keeping the ball out of the net at either end.
Player to Watch
Villarreal have always played good, attractive passing football and remain a joy to watch.
The Yellow Submarine have a number of players who can cause Barcelona problems in this one, and the man most in form, Bakambu, is the one to watch.
The Congolese has formed a decent partnership with ex-Valencia and Tottenham Hotspur man Soldado, but it is Bakambu who has the lion’s share of goals, per WhoScored.com.
He is an awkward customer who is deceptively strong and gangly yet skilful. Gerard Pique et al. therefore need to tread very carefully. An early indiscretion against this standard of opposition will likely be punished.
Bakambu has also shown a great turn of pace on the counter this season, meaning Luis Enrique needs to think twice before playing his usual high line.
Key Battle
Denis Suarez has a point to prove, and where better to do it than at the club with whom he never got a chance at senior level.
Against Sevilla last time out, the youngster was a deserved Man of the Match and has been shining in a left-sided role this term.
Dani Alves’ defensive capabilities are likely to be thoroughly tested, and the Brazilian's willingness to get forward and support the attack may need to be reined in for large parts of this game.
Alves must shut Suarez down at every available opportunity, preferably earlier in any offensive moves by the visitors.
Who knows, a performance of note at Camp Nou from Villarreal's exciting No. 18 could well give Enrique and Barca some food for thought in terms of exercising their option to re-sign Suarez, detailed by the club's official website, at the end of the season.
Should Alves’ experience tell, then we can expect Barca to be raiding down that side for much of the match. He will want to get at Costa in the left-back position as often as possible because the Spaniard hasn’t been at his best during this campaign.
Suarez’s own defensive leanings could be crucial in stopping that happening.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Barcelona: 100-333
Villarreal: 17-2
Draw: 17-4
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