Villarreal vs. Barcelona: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
What a game we have in prospect at El Madrigal as Villarreal try to become the latest side to stop the Barcelona juggernaut.
The Yellow Submarine are placed fourth at present and remain one of the form teams with nine clean sheets in their last 12 matches.
One of which saw them progress in the Europa League at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen, something which really pleased their manager.
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Marcelino told Villarreal's official website via BT Sport:
"I am extremely pleased and proud of the work of the players. They were carrying many games in a row, and sometimes we may be missing fresh legs, but I am proud of the competitive level of this team.
It was not comfortable. We've done it against a great team because we have been solid in defence and attacks have generated sufficient openings.
All the credit goes to the players.
"
That particular performance was in stark contrast to their worst showing of the season last weekend in what was a humiliating 2-4 reverse against Sevilla.
Marcelino will arguably be looking for another decent response to conceding four for the first time in this campaign, but Barca aren't the team you necessarily want to be playing when looking for such a result.
Per Fussball Wettpoint, the Catalans have won the last seven fixtures between the sides, scoring three goals on five of those occasions.
Indeed, you have to go all the way back to 2007 for the last time Villarreal beat this opposition on home soil.
The Blaugrana are on a 38-match unbeaten streak at present. Win this and just five more thereafter and it will set a new European record for games unbeaten, which Juventus holds.
Despite the odds being heavily stacked in favour of the visitors, Luis Enrique remains cautious. He told Barcelona's official site:
"They are one of the best teams in the league … They work together in a very clinical manner and have perfect command of the defensive zone.
The fixture list and the high number of matches are starting to have an effect on everyone and now we’re heading into the final games of the season.
We can only take things one step at a time and see what happens.
So the first thing we have to think about right now is Villarreal. We have to come away from El Madrigal with all three points.
"
The hosts need the points to keep space between themselves and Sevilla who remain hot on their heels, while Barca know that as long as they keep winning, another league title is a foregone conclusion—if it wasn't so already.
Date: Sunday, March 20
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET
Venue: El Madrigal Stadium, Villarreal, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports 3 HD (UK only)/beIN Sports 1 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go app (UK Only) / beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only)
Form Lines
Predicted Formations
Marcelino will persist with a compact but mobile 4-4-2 formation that has once again served him so well during this campaign.
Despite picking up a recent injury, Alphonse Areola should be fine to continue in goal, and his back line will be well-marshaled by Mario, Daniele Bonera, Victor Ruiz and Eric Bailly.
Ruiz in particular had a nightmare against the Andalusians and will need to tighten up significantly if he wants to shut out Luis Suarez.
Neymar and Lionel Messi continue their great form, and the trio will be asking questions of the hosts defence throughout this one.
Antonio Rukavina and Tomas Pina can cause problems for Sergi Roberto who'll take the place of Andres Iniesta, while Bruno's significant forays deep into opposing territory are likely to keep Sergio Busquets occupied for long periods.
Denis Suarez's intent to deliver on the left side will ensure that if Ivan Rakitic wants a say in this game that he will need to be at his very best.
Cedric Bakambu and Roberto Soldado make up an exciting and attacking lineup—one that Barca will take very seriously by bringing out their best defence.
Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique and Dani Alves will be keen to continue a record that's seen them concede only one goal or none at all in their last 24 games, per WhoScored.com—a record that stretches way back to December.
Claudio Bravo completes the lineup after another midweek rest.
Player to Watch
Still with a point to prove and perhaps even coming back to Barcelona in the summer, Denis Suarez has enjoyed his time with Villarreal.
A tricky exponent, Suarez likes nothing better than getting on the ball and getting creative.
Ivan Rakitic could have something to say about that, but it will be a sign of the youngster's development at El Madrigal if he's able to stand toe-to-toe with the effervescent Croatian.
Suarez will try and come inside at every opportunity and look for either Bakambu or Soldado to peel off and make some intelligent runs for him to pick out.
If there is one aspect of Suarez's game that marks him out as a real talent, aside from a supreme confidence, it is the ability to involve team-mates in play via a series of decisive and incisive passing moves.
Much of what Marcelino is trying to achieve comes through Denis Suarez.
An important player for the hosts, it's entirely debatable at this stage whether they would even let him leave, especially if it's only to make the treble winners even stronger.
Key Battle
Although he has blown hot and cold during the season, when Bakambu is on form, there's little stopping him.
Blessed with natural pace and an eye for goal, he is an awkward customer at the best of times, without taking into account how difficult it is to mark him or indeed dispossess him when in possession of the football.
Preferring to play with his back to goal, his hold-up play has been excellent throughout the campaign.
Against Barcelona, if given time, he will find willing runners on either side, and if can improve his final ball, then the hosts have a chance of some rich pickings.
Mascherano will be tasked with limiting his influence on this occasion, and El Jefe needs to be first to every single ball.
He'll not win any aerial challenges, and so his colleagues will do well to shut down that particular avenue of success.
Across the ground, however, as he proved again during the match against Arsenal in the Champions League, Masche is worth his weight in gold.
Bakambu can get easily frustrated, so if the visitors can impose themselves on the game in the early stages, we could find the Villarreal front man doesn't add to his 15-goal haul this season.
Odds
Villarreal win: 15-2
Barcelona win: 50-143
Draw: 4-1
Pre-match odds via Odds Shark.
