Barcelona vs. Deportivo: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Barcelona entertain Deportivo La Coruna in their final La Liga game before jetting off to Japan to compete in the Club World Cup.
As such, this game is the earliest of Saturday kick-offs, which hasn't always suited the Blaugrana.
Sans Neymar, who picked up a training injury prior to the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, per FCBarcelona.com, the Catalans will need to be at their best to beat a side who are also unbeaten in their last six.
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During that time, Depor have drawn with Atletico Madrid and Sevilla and beaten Celta Vigo.
Indeed, just two losses all season have seen Victor Sanchez's side in the heady heights of sixth in the table, just three points off the Champions League places.
Although it's been seven years since Depor have won a game home or away against Barca per Fussball Wettpoint, if the Catalans take their foot off of the pedal as they did when 2-0 up last season at home, resulting in a 2-2 draw, then the Blaugrana will only have themselves to blame if three points are not secured come full-time.
The visitors have been hit by a few injuries, and ex-Barca players Oriol Riera and Luis Alberto are both on the sidelines and won't feature against their former club.
That won't stop Sanchez's charges from making life difficult for the hosts. They only need look at Valencia's display for the previous match week to understand what needs to be done in order to stifle the creativity of Barcelona's attack.
Assuming Depor fail to do so, then a win for Luis Enrique's side will keep them top of the pile for another week at least.
If Athletic Club de Bilbao are able to spring a surprise at the Vicente Calderon, then Barca will stay top until they resume La Liga duties on December 30 against Real Betis.
Date: Saturday, December 12
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
TV Info: Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports 2 HD (UK—delayed highlights only from 5:15 p.m.)/beIN Sports 1 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
Victor Sanchez will stick with his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 formation at Camp Nou.
Although not particularly adventurous, Depor keep the spaces between the lines to a minimum, and a compact formation has held them in good stead so far in 2015/16.
Luisinho and Cani in the wide areas are crucial to just how effective the system is on the day for the two of them will shuttle between supporting their front men and helping out their full-backs.
Ivan Rakitic may have to therefore sit a little deeper than usual in Barcelona's usual 4-3-3.
With Jonathan Rodriguez making purposeful runs across the Barca back four, if the Croatian doesn't track Luisinho's lively movement, the winger is quite capable of feeding the dangerous Lucas Perez.
Cani will go hunting for him, too, but this tactic could play into Barca's hands.
The visitors need to bring more to the party than one decent front man, albeit one who is in as good goalscoring form as any Barca staff at this point.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Barca could struggle if Luis Suarez is unable to break down the pairing of Sidnei and Alejandro Arribas.
Lionel Messi needs some more rhythm to his game because evidently the Argentinian is still finding his feet after coming back from a long injury layoff, whereas Munir el Haddadi needs to forcefully up his own level of expertise in the role.
The youngster looked out of his depth again against Bayer Leverkusen but gets a reprieve thanks to Neymar's injury.
Juanfran and Fernando Navarro haven't looked up to scratch just lately at full-back, so if Barca can produce a high-energy pressing performance up top, they may profit from having their own full-backs Dani Alves and Jordi Alba getting beyond the defenders to the byline before unlocking the door.
The Blaugrana will have to be studious in their approach play at all times, however, because Depor have already shown this season that they are no pushovers.
The visitors will also be aware that Barca, after a period of shut-outs, have now conceded in each of their last three games.
If nothing else, it will give them the encouragement to get forward and chance their arm.
Claudio Bravo can be assured that he's in for a relatively busy afternoon whilst opposite number German Lux will rely on his defenders and the central midfield partnership of Pedro Mosquera and Alex Bergantinos to keep the hosts at bay.
Player to Watch
Not too much doubt as to who is the main threat for Depor.
Lucas Perez has already enjoyed a stellar 2015/16 campaign, and with 10 goals, per BBC Sport, he is level with the much-more celebrated Cristiano Ronaldo in the scoring charts.
The 27-year-old is sharp and alive to the possibilities and has scored in each of his last five matches, three of which were 1-1 draws, per WhoScored, the player therefore earning his side the point on each occasion.
A handful at the best of times, Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano will need to perform at a higher level than the latter stages of the Valencia game.
The players' shoot-on-sight philosophy could well trouble Claudio Bravo in goal if his defenders don't shut up shop early.
With Riera out injured and replacement Jonathan Rodriguez not quite up to the rigours of this league just now, almost all of the attacking intent will come through Perez.
Lock him up for long periods and Barcelona should see this one home.
Key Battle
Deportivo's central defender Sidnei has played every minute of his side's La Liga campaign so far.
For someone who typically enjoys the cut-and-thrust of battle and who has had to face a multitude of different striking options in the 14 matches of the season so far, that he has only received two yellow cards, per WhoScored, says something about his defensive prowess.
Even in Neymar's absence, Barca's attack will provide Sidnei and partner Arribas with one of the toughest games of their excellent season so far.
Luis Suarez will aim to pick up the slack in terms of goals and Sidnei needs to bring his A game in order not to be embarrassed by the Uruguayan.
Per WhoScored, Suarez has 12 goals, three assists and two man-of-the-match awards in his last eight games and will ensure a busy 90 minutes for the Depor back line.
With his ability to go both sides, Suarez is dangerous anywhere in and around the box, meaning that Sidnei has to try and stay "touch tight" throughout to keep the striker at bay.
Easier said than done.
Odds
Barcelona: 100-1429
Deportivo La Coruna: 33-1
Draw: 9-1
(via Odds Shark)
