Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie will return, but Frenkie de Jong is unavailable for the game between Barcelona and Elche on Saturday.
Barcelona will look to inch closer to clinching the La Liga title when they lock horns with Elche at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on Saturday night. And Xavi Hernandez will be without a few pivotal figures in his side’s latest fixture.
Frenkie de Jong is unavailable due to a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the international break. In addition, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele remain on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen has not recovered from the calf issue he sustained last week. But Ronald Araujo is in the travelling squad.
The Uruguayan defender has resumed training after recovering from a groin injury. But it is unclear if Xavi will risk Araujo ahead of a busy run-in. And the Barcelona manager addressed questions surrounding the 24-year-old during his pre-match press conference.
“It depends on the feelings. Today was the first day he worked in the group. Tomorrow I will talk to him and we will decide.” Meanwhile, Xavi also spoke about Ansu Fati amid the youngster’s father’s recent controversial comments.
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Xavi said, “I understand Ansu’s father, I empathise. I worry about Ansu. I am calm when I see him training, he trains very well. It is important that he is happy. I try to make him happy, I have a lot of confidence in him, I know what he is capable of. I talk to him a lot. I try to make him happy. He’s going to deliver. I’m the first one who wants him to succeed.”
Fati should return to the starting lineup due to the roster issues plaguing Xavi and his squad. That is because Gavi will likely move into the midfield unit in the absence of de Jong. And with Raphinha unavailable, both wide-attacking slots are open.
So Fati and Ferran Torres will be the two wide men for Barcelona. And Robert Lewandowski picks himself as the central striker this weekend. As for the midfield unit, Gavi will join Sergio Busquets and Franck Kessie, who scored the match-winner against Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Xavi might not risk Araujo, meaning Sergi Roberto will start as the right-back. And with Christensen unavailable, Jules Kounde will have Marcos Alonso as his central defensive partner. Finally, Jordi Alba should start as the left-back, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen picking himself between the sticks.
Predicted Barcelona XI: ter Stegen; Roberto, Kounde, Alonso, Alba; Kessie, Busquets, Gavi; Ferran Torres, Lewandowski, Fati
