Sporting Gijon vs. Barcelona: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Sporting Gijon holds a special place in Barcelona manager Luis Enrique's heart. It is the club where he stood on the terraces of El Molinon as a young boy and the team he still supports. It's also the place where he began his football journey.
However, sentiment can play no part in proceedings on Wednesday evening.
This is Barca's game in hand in La Liga and should they emerge victorious, it will mean that they lead the pile by six points.
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The carrot is dangling and to that end we should expect that Lucho will again bring his full armoury to bear in this match.
Celta Vigo felt the full force of what this Barca team are capable of in the last 20 minutes on Sunday, but Sporting manager Abelardo Fernandez will have been given enough clues in the previous 70 to know where the Catalans' weak spots are.
A former Blaugrana himself, Abelardo has had an indifferent season in charge. After bringing Sporting back into the Spanish top flight with arguably a team that was far from the best in the Segunda Division, his side have struggled in the main.
Yet they remain unbeaten in four games going into this match, a run which includes a 5-1 hammering of Real Sociedad and a 1-0 victory at Valencia.
When they have belief in their play, the Asturians are a match for anyone and although he may not start this game, Alen Halilovic has a point to prove against his parent club.
He told reporters back in October, per Sport (Spanish) via Renato Goncalves of Barca Blaugranes:
"At Sporting I'm very happy, very satisfied.
[...] The good relationship between Abelardo and Luis Enrique is the main reason that got me here. The Spanish league attracts me a lot, and they thought this was the best decision for me.
[...] I do want to have success at Barça, but right now I don't think about it. I think about this club, to learn here, to play well and to work hard.
And when we play Barca, I want to score goals and win the match.
"
That kind of confidence will need to be coursing through the veins of his team-mates if they want a chance of a huge league upset here.
Enrique noted in his pre-match press conference per Barca's official site:
"Whenever I go back to El Molinon, it's special.
[...] They’re a very hard-working team that uses their defence to manage their attacks and they’re one of the most intense teams in the league.
I see them capable of avoiding relegation even though they haven’t reinforced the team very much. They’re very competitive.
[...] This game gives us a chance to put some more distance between us and our direct rivals. A victory would be a big step towards our objective, but it wouldn’t be definitive.
"
The Catalans can afford to lose and still be top of the pile of course, but it's exactly that kind of attitude that will land them in trouble.
Date: Wednesday, February 17
Time: 5.30 p.m. GMT/12.30 p.m. ET
Venue: El Molinon, Gijon, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports 2 HD (UK only)/beIN Sports 1 (US only)
Live Stream: Sky Go app (UK Only), beIN Sports Connect (US only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
Abelardo will begin the game with a 4-2-3-1 formation and hope that his side have more luck than Celta Vigo in keeping the Blaugrana at bay.
His problem lies in the lack of decent cover for his defenders, both Rachid and Sergio Alvarez have been guilty this season of being bullied off of the ball far too easily.
Although Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic will give them different problems when breaking from the midfield areas, the anchormen need to get in among it and stop Barca's carousel from turning.
If the front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have difficulties in receiving the ball, that severely limits the visitors' capabilities in this match. Hence Rachid, Alvarez and their colleague Dani Ndi have a vital role to play here.
Sporting's back line of Isma Lopez, Jorge Mere, Luis Fernandez and Ognjen Vranjes have been porous at times in this campaign, and although they've stemmed the tide recently, they'll have their work cut out from the very first whistle.
Ivan Cuellar keeps guard between the posts and can be an effective last line of defence if need be.
His opposite number Claudio Bravo needs to ensure a better performance from his own back four this week.
Despite only having John Guidetti to contend with for the most part against Celta, the Swedish striker was awkward enough to earn a penalty and regularly bring into play colleagues who could—and perhaps should—have at least scored one more goal and kept the game interesting.
Miguel Angel Guerrero is Sporting's lone front man, looking to profit from the accuracy of Jony or Carlos Carmona.
Jeremy Mathieu, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique and Aleix Vidal will attempt to ensure that doesn't happen.
Player to Watch
Enrique should know all about Sporting's left winger Jony.
The youngster was in Barca's youth ranks for two years between 2008 and 2010 before leaving for Real Oviedo.
Like so many, the wide man had to move to seek his fortune elsewhere, and Sporting are already the fifth team of his fledgling career.
It is the place that he now calls home, but also the club he has stayed at by far the longest and perhaps that feeling of comfort is behind greatly improved performances.
Only last week he was man of the match against Sevilla, after an all-action display including an assist in the 2-2 draw.
The player is a decent outlet down Sporting's left side and has the ability to drift into space, take on his marker or deliver incisive ball to Guerrero et al.
Vidal, in for Alves, is likely to be kept on his toes throughout.
Key Battle
Lopez hasn't been in the best form for Sporting this season and is often the weak link in the host's defence.
A poor pass-completion rate of 70.2 percent per WhoScored.com only serves to place pressure straight back on the player and his colleagues.
Against Messi, it's debatable whether the left-back will get the time and space to deliver effectively, and with the Argentinian and his attacking brethren in such devastating form, this could turn ugly for Sporting.
Just one goal all season, albeit against Real Madrid, evidences a lack of penetration in support of his strikers for Lopez. Against Messi, any thoughts of forward play will have to be parked. Total concentration throughout is what's needed.
As Barca's No. 10 has shown time and again this season, including last time out against Celta, his genius knows no bounds.
Any player managing to stick with him for a full 90 minutes and be able to limit his effectiveness, deserves for his side to take the plaudits and the points.
Expect much of Barca's raiding to come down that side of the pitch with Vidal in support as and when required.
Odds
Sporting Gijon win 12-1
Barcelona win 1-5
Draw 6-1
Pre-match odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
