Frenkie de Jong and Pedri will return in a much-changed Barcelona starting lineup against Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday.
Barcelona will aim to return to winning ways when they lock horns with Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday night. And Xavi Hernandez does not have any new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Gavi remain the most notable absentees for Barcelona. In addition, Inigo Martinez and Marcos Alonso are no closer to returning for the away side. Otherwise, Xavi has named a strong travelling squad to take on Valencia this weekend.
Xavi did not address any questions on team news updates during his pre-match press conference. But he spoke about the speculation surrounding his future in the wake of the recent sub-par performances by his team.
He said, “The club defended me directly and publicly as well. It was said that I have a bad relationship with Deco, but the relationship with him is exceptional. I receive messages as if everything is a funeral. I try to abstract myself, but I receive messages as if my father or mother have died.”
“By the way, none of you congratulated me on qualifying for the Champions League RO16 after the Antwerp game. A month ago, you asked me if I would become Barcelona’s [Sir Alex] Ferguson. I’m going crazy, now you have put me on the street and I don’t know where I am.”
Barcelona will line up in the usual 4-3-3 formation against Valencia this weekend, with Inaki Pena deputising for Marc-Andre ter Stegen between the sticks. The defensive unit should feature Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Joao Cancelo, with Araujo and Cancelo returning to the starting lineup.
As for the midfield trifecta, Xavi should name his strongest trio to guide his team back to winning ways. So, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri will join Ilkay Gundogan in the middle of the park, with Oriol Romeu and Fermin Lopez missing out. Finally, Robert Lewandowski will spearhead the attack against Valencia, with Raphinha and Joao Felix completing the numbers in the attack.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Pena; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Cancelo; Pedri, De Jong, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Felix
