Barcelona visits Pamplona to take on 20th place Osasuna this weekend at the Elsadar Stadium with the return to winning ways very much the order of the day.
Osasuna are having a bad season so far and are just 21points behind Barcelona in 20th place with the former sevilla and Athletico Bilbao boss Joaquin Caparros looking to cause an upset at Pamplona.
Joaquin Caparros's side have failed to win any of their last five matches including a 3-1 drubbing at the hands of Sporting Gijon last weekend.
Luis Enrique's men are struggling to play their best football at the moment , recording just two victories in their last six matches, They've drawn 3 straight league games including El Clasico and their first- leg of Copa del rey contest with third division Hercules.
Enrique doesn't feel good with his side's current level of displays and will see this clash as the perfect opportunity for them to get back on track.
The Catalan club can ill afford another slip up as they need to make up ground in the title race. The Blaugranes trail current leaders Real Madrid by six points going into the weekend.
For fcb faithfuls, Nothing else would lift their spirits except for a win at Pamplona come Saturday afternoon.
Should Messi along with Arda Turan and Suraez be on song this weekend then Barca have a strong chance of taking the game beyond the home side reach.
Arda Turan is at his best form at the moment since swapping Athletico Madrid for Barcelona, notching a hatrick to guide his side past Glabach Tuesday night.
Lucho's view
Lucho's pre- match press conference was dominated by Questions on the match against Osasuna He said:
Osasuna are in a must- win situation but so are we. We are second and six points behind League leaders. This isn't just any old game for us. The points are of maximum importance.
SOURCE: FCBARCELONA>COM
In opposition, Joaquin Coparros, who was recently hired to turn the season around for lowly Osasuna said:
“simply playing against Barcelona isn’t a motivation.” “Whether we win, lose, or draw, we have to believe in ourselves,”
TEAM NEWS
Andres Iniesta should stat for the second successive game having featured from the off in midweek. Samuel Umtiti is fit enough for a start and should be preferred to Javier Mascherano at centre- back, with Gerard Pique shaking off an ankle problem to partner him in defence.
Arda Turan should start out on the left-hand side, as Neymar has a muscle problem and isn't
available. The Turkey international scored a hat- trick during Champions League action midweek.
available. The Turkey international scored a hat- trick during Champions League action midweek.
Neymar Jr sits out this game through suspension, although the enforced break will give the Brazilian some time to get over the muscle fatigue that’s been troubling him of late. The injured Jeremy Mathieu also stays at home, while there’s no room for Masip or Aleix Vidal either.
Osasuna have no more absentees to worry about, with Javier Flano and Didier Digard the
only men on the treatment table for the hosts.
PROBABLE BARCELONA XI
BEST MATCH FACTS BY OPTA JOE
Osasuna have won just one of their last ten league games against Barcelona (D2 L7), failing
to score in six of them. Osasuna have won just one of their last 14 games at home in La Liga (D5 L8), 2-1 against Betis in May 2014.
Osasuna have won just one of their last ten league games against Barcelona (D2 L7), failing
to score in six of them. Osasuna have won just one of their last 14 games at home in La Liga (D5 L8), 2-1 against Betis in May 2014.
Barcelona have drawn three games in a row in La Liga for the first time with Luis Enrique in
charge, while the last time they went four was in 2005.
charge, while the last time they went four was in 2005.
Joaquín Caparrós has won just one of his 26 games against Barcelona in La Liga (D7 L18),
and that was for Sevilla.
and that was for Sevilla.
Barcelona are the team with the most points won after trailing away from home (7) in La Liga this season.
Lionel Messi has scored 15 goals in his last eight league appearances against Osasuna, four of them at El Sadar.
Osasuna are the side with the fewest goals scored at home in La Liga this season (four).
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