LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS REAL SOCIEDAD

The newly minted league champions roll out against a side with plenty to play for.

Barcelona are the new champions of Spain. After delivering one of their best performances against Espanyol at the RCDE stadium, the Catalan giants clinched the league title with 4 games to spare. It's been a superb domestic campaign for Xavi's crew and they'll want to put on a show expected from champions in front of their fans, after which they'll lift the La Liga trophy.

It's not going to be a walk in the park though. They'll have to actually show up, as they'll be locking horns with Real Sociedad, who sit 4th in the standings but are being chased by Villarreal. A defeat will close the gap between them and the yellow submarines to 2 points. They've rediscovered their form in recent times, but were held at home to a draw by a spirited Girona last weekend. The three points here will be greatly needed, but what are the odds of an away side getting a win at the Camp Nou this season?

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have the best defence in the league having conceded just 13 goals so far.

- The Catalan giants have only lost three matches out of their 34 league games.

Barcelona have won 21 out of the last 31 matches against Real Sociedad.

- Xavi’s team are unbeaten in their last 13 matches against Real Sociedad in La Liga.

-Barcelona have an excellent home record against the visitors, having won each of their last 24 home matches.

-Barcelona are the only team that have scored six goals against Real Sociedad in a single game in La Liga, securing a 6-1 victory in March 2021.

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Pedri and Ronald Araujo didn't show up to the recent training sessions due to discomforts, and Gavi is suspended due to accumulation of yellow cards. This will give Xavi the chance to give some fringe players much needed minutes.

Marc Andre TerStegen has a record to break, so he'll be between the sticks. Marcos Alonso could replace Araujo in the backline. Kessie could come into the midfield, joining DeJong and Busquets. Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele are expected to start alongside Robert Lewandowski. Pablo Torre, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba and Ferran Torres will all be expected to show up at some point.

Real Sociedad

The visitors will be without the services of Brais Mendez, Umar Sadiq and Martin Merquelanz who are all out injured. David Silva will also be absent. Imanol is expected to field out the same XI that drew against Girona, bar Silva.

Alex Remiro will be in goal. Andoni Gorosabel and Aihen Munoz are expected to be the full-backs. Meanwhile, Igor Zubeldia and Robin Le Normand will be the centre-back.

Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal will start out wide in the centre of the park. Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino will be the central midfielders. Illarramendi could come in for Silva and will be in support of Alexander Sorloth in the attack.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Real Sociedad playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Saturday 20 April

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas

VAR: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva

Real Sociedad will be desperate for the win in order to maintain the gap between them and 5th place Villarreal. But it's the Camp Nou, where Barcelona have been nothing short of imperious this season. And the Catalans wouldn't want to disappoint their fans either, even though there's nothing left to play for.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: ESPANYOL VS BARCELONA

The most vital Catalan Derby in history, with all the ingredients needed to make it a classic. 

One team is playing to clinch the league title. The other is playing to stay alive in La Liga. As if the Catalan Derby doesn't get fiery enough when nothing but pride is what's at stake.

FC Barcelona have had an outstanding domestic season,setting new records with each game. Coming off a bit of a rough patch last month, they've had consecutive home wins against Betis and Osasuna and are a win away from clinching the league title. This should give them enough confidence as they travel to enemy territory.

Espanyol however, have contrasting fortunes. They sit at 19th, having endured a shambolic season in all competitions and stare relegation in the face. They'll have to play out of their skins to survive, and would've preferred not to play Barcelona in such a moment. This is a derby, however. A clash that has had 2 draws in the last 3 meetings. They have every reason to leave it all on that field. Whether that'll be enough will be known soon.

INTERESTING STATS 

-Barcelona have a good recent record against Espanyol and have won 36 out of the last 61 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Espanyol's six victories.

-Espanyol are winless in their last 25 matches against Barcelona in La Liga - the longest winless streak by any team in a regional derby in the competition.

-Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 14 games away from home against Espanyol in La Liga, with their previous such defeat in the competition coming in 2007.

-Barcelona have recorded 101 victories in 175 matches against Espanyol in La Liga - only Real Madrid have a better record against the hosts, with 107 victories.

-Barcelona are winless in their last two matches away from home in La Liga and could endure a streak of three such games in a row for the first time under Xavi.

Last five meetings

31/12/22 (LIGA) Barça 1 (Alonso) Espanyol 1

13/02/22 (LIGA) Espanyol 2 Barça 2 (Pedri. Luuk de Jong)

20/11/21 (LIGA) Barça 1 (Memphis) Espanyol 0

08/07/20 (LIGA) Barça 1 (L Suárez) Espanyol 0

04/01/20 (LIGA) Espanyol 2 Barça 2 (L Suárez, A Vidal)

TEAM NEWS

Espanyol

Luis Garcia will be without the services of Jose Gragera, who is out injured. Meanwhile, Espanyol do have a major boost as former Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite is all set to return to the squad.

Fernando Pacheco will start in the goal. Oscar Gil and Brian Olivan will be the wing-backs. Cesar Montes, Sergi Gomez and Leandro Cabrera will be the three central defenders. Denis Suarez, Sergi Darder and Javi Puado will take charge in the centre of the park. Meanwhile, Braithwaite is likely to pair up with Joselu in attack.

Barcelona

For the first time in a long while, Xavi has a fully fit squad at his disposal as Sergi Roberto has been declared fit for the clash. The coach has also confirmed that Dembele is 100% ready to start, so we may see Barça roll out their Gala XI for the first time since the Supercup final.

TerStegen in goal, Koundé, Araujo, Christensen and Balde in defense. Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie and Busquets, who'll be playing his last Catalan derby, will be in midfield. Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele will round up the attack, with Pedri/Gavi supporting them from the left.

Where are Espanyol vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: RCDE Stadium

Date: Sunday 14 May

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

Referee: Ricardo De Burgos

This has the potential to be one for the history books. Espanyol will leave blood, sweat and tears on the field, but Barcelona have everything they need to win this derby and clinch their first League title in 3 years.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS OSASUNA

The Catalans are ready to take one step closer...or are they?

At this point, the general feeling is that it's just a matter of time. A matter of time before Xavi wins his first La Liga title as coach. A matter of time before Barcelona win their first League title in 3 seasons! 

After dispatching Real Betis in commanding fashion, the Blaugrana are set to roar again as they welcome Osasuna to the Spotify Camp Nou. The team's performance against Los Verdiblancos was encouraging and it showed Barcelona close to their best this season. That's what happens when you have a fully fit squad.

Osasuna are, by their own standards, having a fantastic season as well. They are set to play their first Cup final in 18 years on Saturday against Real Madrid, but they'll have to get through a dress rehearsal against their archrivals. They seem focused on finishing in the Europeean spots this season, but there's no way they won't be thinking about the Copa del Rey final as they head into this clash.

INTERESTING STATS 

- Barcelona have lost just one of their last 13 games vs Osasuna in La Liga (W9 D3), 1-2 in July 2020, scoring at least once in each of their most recent ten league matches (34 goals in total, an average of 3.4 per game).

- Barcelona have scored more goals against Osasuna than any other side in La Liga history, both overall (178) and in home games (120).

- Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in 24 of their 32 La Liga games this season, equalling their best tally of clean sheets in a single season in the history of the competition (24 in 44 matches in the 1986/87 campaign).

- Osasuna have suffered four defeats in their last eight La Liga games (W3 D1), as many as in their previous 15 league games (W5 D6 L4).

- Jagoba Arrasate has lost four of his last five games against Barcelona in La Liga (D1), having suffered just one defeat in his first four league games against them (W2 D1).

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Xavi will be without Sergi Roberto due to a hamstring injury. The rest of the squad are fit and firing.

TerStegen will be looking to equal Chelsea's clean sheet record of 25 as he starts in goal, shielded by Araujo, Koundé, Christensen and Balde.

Pedri and Frenkie DeJong are sure to start alongside Busquets. Gavi has played so many minutes in recent times and a rest may be useful. As such, Xavi may revert back to 4-3-3 with Ansu Fati starting at LW. This will, however, be their last game until the 14th, which means plenty of time to recuperate and Xavi will probably stick to his Gala XI for this game.

Robert Lewandowski has resumed scoring and is expected to continue against Osasuna, with the electric Raphinha by his side. Ousmane Dembele, not yet fully fit, should be seen later on, along with Ferran Torres and possibly Lamine Yamal once more.

Osasuna

As for Osasuna, Darko Brasanac is a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury, while David Garcia is a huge doubt for the visitors due to a muscular problem. Jagoba Arrasate has otherwise, a fit squad for his game. His eyes will be firmly set on the cup final, so rotations may be expected.

Sergio Herrera will take his spot between the sticks. Aridane Hernandez and Juan Cruz should form the central defensive partnership. And Nacho Vidal and Manu Sanchez should be the two full-backs.

As for the midfield unit, Jon Moncayola and Iker Munoz should pair up in the double pivot. Aimar Oroz will be flanked by Moi Gomez and Kike Barja. Kike Garcia or Ante Budimir are options to spearhead the attack.

Where are Barcelona vs Osasuna playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Tuesday 2 May

Kick-off Time: 18:30 BST / 13:30 ET / 10:30 PT

Referee: Javier Iglesias Villanueva

VAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea

Osasuna are capable of causing Barcelona problems on their best days, but this will be a big mountain to climb. Barcelona are back go full strength and should be able to win this game comfortably, as long as they remain as focused as they were against Real Betis.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS REAL BETIS

The aim is to return to winning ways for Xavi's men. Can they do it against Real Betis?

It was another memorable trip to Vallecas for Barcelona, but once again, for the wrong reasons. Fortunately, the slip up did no damage to their standings in the table and will look to get their groove back as they take on Real Betis for the 3rd time this season, having overcome them in the Spanish Supercup Semi final and at the Benito Villamarin in La Liga. It's the last game of the month, and what better way to end it than with a convincing winning performance?

Real Betis will not roll over and play dead though. Having won only 1 of their last 5 games, they currently sit at 6th, behind Villareal and La Real. The least objective Manuel Pellegrini could achieve at this stage is European football. They won at the Camp Nou last season. Can they do it again?

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have won seven of their last eight games against Real Betis in La Liga (L1). Their only defeat in this run came in their most recent home game against them in the competition (0-1 in December 2021).

- Barcelona will head into this game off the back of losing 1-2 to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. They have not lost two in a row since October 2021. 

- At home, they are one of three teams to have not suffered a defeat this season across the big five European leagues, alongside Union Berlin and Bayern Munich (W12 D3).

- Real Betis have won just one of their last five La Liga matches (D1 L3), 3-1 against Espanyol on 15 April, having won four of their previous six in the competition (D2).

- Real Betis have failed to score in three of their last five La Liga matches (W1 D1 L3), having found the back of the net in nine of their previous 11 league games (W6 D2 L3).

- Manuel Pellegrini has lost 12 of his last 13 games against Barcelona in La Liga (W1), having lost just four of his previous ten against them in the top flight (W4 D2).

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Massive boost for Xavi! Ousmane Dembele and Andreas Christensen have returned! Only Sergi Roberto remains as the first team player on the treatment table with a hamstring issue. For the first time in a while, Xavi has a fuily fit squad.

Christensen is likely to start right away, alongside Koundé, Araujo and Balde in defense, shielding Marc Andre TerStegen. Sergio Busquets returns from suspension and will slot right into the Midfield alongside Pedri and Frenkie. Gavi could play the false winger, as he's done many times, while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha round up the attack. Dembele is expected to contribute at some point.

REAL BETIS

Manuel Pellegrini has 4 key players out: Nabil Fekir, Youssouf Sabaly, Juanmi and Victor Ruiz.  That doesn't take much away from the quality he has left at his disposal.

Rui Silva will be between the sticks. Luiz Felipe and German Pezzella will form the central defensive partnership, with Aitor Ruibal and Juan Miranda being the two full-backs. Guido Rodriguez and William Carvalho will be the doublt pivot. Sergio Canales will play centrally and be flanked by Luiz Enrique and Ayoze Perez, with Borja Iglesias looking to head the attack instead of Willian Jose.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Real Betis playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Saturday 29 April

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande

VAR: Santiago Jaime Latre

Real Betis will not be taken for granted, mainly due to the fact that Barcelona lost their last game and won't want to disappoint their fans on home turf. A convincing performance will come in handy as they look to keep the gap at the top to at least 11 points.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: RAYO VALLECANO VS BARCELONA

Los Blancos faced their bogey team yesterday; it's time for the Blaugrana to face theirs.

The league leaders are back in action as they travel midweek to Vallecas in a bid to move closer to the La Liga title. Xavi's men were able to get back to winning ways this past weekend with another 1-0 win (their 10th in La Liga and 17th in all competitions this season) against Atlético Madrid, which, according to many, was their most difficult fixture left. This time, the match winner came from the boots of Ferran Torres. That victory, coupled with Real Madrid's loss to Girona yesterday, should serve as a confidence booster as they prepare to do battle with a team they've failed to beat since early 2021 in the Copa del Rey and 2019 in La Liga.

Rayo Vallecano, who finished 12th last season after gaining promotion to the top flight, are well on course to do better this season as they currently sit at 10th, 7 points behind 6th placed Villarreal. Their best finish however, remains 8th (12/13). They started the season well, with their opener against Barcelona ending goalless. 2023 however, has seen them take a bit of a slump, winning one of their last 10 games. Their head-to-head against Barcelona in recent times will give them confidence, but it's going to be much difficult to get a result against the vibrant Catalans this time around. One thing that's for sure though, is that they'll try till the final whistle.

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have the best defence in the league, having conceded only nine goals so far.

- As far as the attack is concerned, Barcelona have the second-best attack, having scored 54 goals.

- Rayo Vallecano have an interesting record this season; they have won ten, lost ten and drawn ten out of their 30 matches.

- Barcelona have a good recent record against Rayo Vallecano and have won 15 out of the last 24 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Rayo Vallecano's four victories.

- Rayo Vallecano are unbeaten in their last three matches against Barcelona in La Liga and have kept clean sheets in each of these matches.

- Rayo Vallecano have won only one of their last five matches played on a Wednesday in La Liga but did secure a victory in such a game against Barcelona in October 2021

- Barcelona have only lost twice in the league all season long.

- Robert Lewandowski has scored 17 goals and has six assists for Barcelona in the league.

Last five meetings

2019 (Liga) Barça 3-1 Rayo

2021 (CDR) Rayo 1-2  Barça

2021 (Liga) Rayo 1-0  Barça 

2022 (Liga) Barça 0-1 Rayo

2022 (Liga) Barça 0-0 Rayo

TEAM NEWS

Rayo Vallecano 

Barcelona will be glad that Radamel Falcao, who has netted against the Catalans 4 times in 6 previous meetings, will be unavailable due to a muscle injury. Santi Comensaña is also ruled out due to suspension. Alvaro Garcia and Alejandro Catena however, have served theirs and will return to the starting XI.

Stole Dimitrievski will be in goal. Ivan Balliu and Fran Garcia will be the full-backs. Florian Lejeune will pair up with Alejandro Catena in the heart of the defence. Pathe Ciss will join Oscar Valentin to form the double pivot behind the trio of Isi Palazon, Oscar Trejo and Alvaro Garcia, while Sergio Camello will likely be picked ahead of Raul DeTomas as the striker.

Barcelona

The Blaugrana remain without Dembele, Christensen and Roberto due to injuries, although the former two should be returning against Real Betis over the weekend. Sergio Busquets will not travel to Madrid with the squad due to accumulation of yellow cards.

TerStegen will be in goal, with Koundé, Araujo, Alonso and Balde as the defense. Pedri and Frenkie DeJong were sorely missed, as eveidenced by their glorious return against Atlético Madrid and are expected to walk right into the midfield, alongside Gavi and probably Franck Kessie, even though Eric Garcia could be an option. Should Xavi decide to go with a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-4-2, Raphinha and Lewandowski will anchor the attack alongside one of Ferran Torres/Ansu Fati.

Where and when are Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Madrid, Spain

Stadium: Estadio de Vallecas

Date: Wednesday 26 April

Kick-off Time: 21:00 BST / 16:00 ET / 13:00 PT.

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano

VAR: José Luis González González

Rayo Vallecano are known to be fearless at all times and will always fancy their chances of a victory, no matter the opposition. Their recent form may not be encouraging, but they can't be taken lightly. Barcelona will know that, and with the league title in sight, along with personal pride, the Catalans will be desperate to win this one.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS ATLETICO MADRID

A heavyweight clash at home to prove title winning credentials.

Probably for the first time this season, the most in-form team heading into a La Liga clash at the Camp Nou isn't the home team. Barcelona have endured some trying times as of late, failing to win (or score in) their last 3 games in all competitions. Their last two league outings ended in a goalless stalemate, and the performances were a bit wishy-washy. Thankfully, some key players have returned from injury, which may be the reason Barcelona could win this clash.

Their opponents, Atleti, haven't lost a league game since the last time these two met, at the Wanda, where Barça won 0-1. They've won their last 6 games in seemingly comfortable fashion, and they suddenly look like they could take advantage of any slip up Real Madrid might have for second position. They will fancy their chances at the Camp Nou, especially if Antoine Griezmann, arguably the most in-form player in La Liga right now, has anything to say about it.

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have a historical advantage over Atletico Madrid with 97 victories in 222 matches played, compared to Atletico’s 75 wins.

- Barcelona’s home record against Atletico Madrid is impressive having been unbeaten in their last 16 games in the league.

- The Catalan giants have drawn their last two La Liga matches 0-0, and they have not played three consecutive goalless draws in the competition since 2016.

- Atletico Madrid are in excellent form, winning their last six matches in La Liga.

Last five meetings

21/11/20 (LIGA) Atlético 1 Barça 0

8/5/21 (LIGA) Barça 0 Atlético 0

2/10/21 (LIGA) Atlético 2 Barça 0

06/02/22 (LIGA) Barça 4 Atlético 2

08/01/23 (LIGA) Atlético 0-1 Barça 

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

There has been some good news in the Barça camp as of late, as Pedri and Frenkie DeJong have returned from injury and have made the Squad list. Ousmane Dembele and Andreas Christensen are also very close and should feature against Vallecano and/or Betis. Sergi Roberto remains sidelined with a hamstring strain. 15 year old wonderkid Lamine Yamal also earned his first team call up. Wouldn't it be exciting to see him have some minutes in this game?

Marc Andre TerStegen, Kounde, Araujo and Balde are sure of starting, with Alonso probably filling in for Christensen. Pedri and Frenkie could very well walk into the starting XI and join Gavi and Busquets in midfield. Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha will form the attack, along with Pedri/Gavi overlapping forward. Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres remain attacking options on the bench.

Atletico Madrid

Diego Simeone will be without the services of former Barça man Memphis Depay, who is out injured, and Reinildo, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Midfielders Marcos Llorente and Geoffrey Kondogbia are out due to suspension. Meanwhile, they could have a boost as Stefan Savic is expected to return to the mix.

Jan Oblak will start in goal. The back three will feature Savic, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Mario Hermoso. Nahuel Molina and Yannick Carrasco will feature in the midfield five, along with Koke, Rodrigo De Paul and Pablo Barrios. Antoine Griezmann and one of Ángel Correa or Alvaro Morata will lead the attack.

Where are Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Sunday 23 April

Kick-off Time: 15:15 BST / 10:15 ET / 07:15 PT/ 15:15 🇳🇬

Referee: Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez

A gigantic clash that should provide loads of entertainment, but Barcelona will have to bring their A game for this one. Atletico Madrid are in red hot form, any slip ups from the home side could prove catastrophic.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: GETAFE VS BARCELONA

Barcelona travel to the Coliseum in Madrid to recoup 3 points and restore the lead to 13. 

Barça are currently on shaky grounds in terms of form and should be edging to return to winning ways as they make the journey to the ever dreaded Coliseum Alfonso Perez. 

Following the disappointing exit from the Copa del Rey, they played out a goalless draw at the Camp Nou against Catalan rivals Girona. With Real Madrid snatching up 3 points last night against Cadiz, and a home game against the vibrant Atleti up next, today's game is perfectly positioned to mark a return to form ahead of a very crucial run to the title.

Their opponents are as dogged as they come. Getafe are currently embroiled in the relegation battle, as they often are, but they have recently picked up form at home with 3 home wins on a spin coming into this one. They've always been difficult opponents for Barcelona, and with their own goals to fight for, they will be going all out for the 3 points.

INTERESTING STATS

-Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last nine La Liga matches.

-Barcelona won seven of their last nine La Liga meetings with Getafe.

-Barcelona have failed to win and score in their last two visits to Getafe in La Liga (D1 L1).

-Getafe boasts three wins from their last three home games and is unbeaten in four.

-The hosts have avoided a defeat in seven of their last nine encounters.

TEAM NEWS

Getafe

Key central midfielder Mauro Arambarri has missed Getafe’s last five games with a muscle injury, and Sunday’s game would come too soon for him while forward Jaime Mata remains in the recovery room. Otherwise, coach Quique Sanchez Flores has no other problems.

Djene Ortega, Domingos Duarte, and Omar Alderete will sit in front of goalkeeper David Soria, with the wing-back duo of Damian Suarez and Cristian Portu completing the back five.

Nemanja Maksimovic and Luis Milla will look to screen the back-five to form a compact, counter-attacking shape. Their attack should consist of Enes Unal, Munir El-Haddadi, and Borja Mayoral.

Barcelona

The Catalans remain without Pedri, Frenkie, Christensen and Dembele, even though Xavi confirmed that most of them are ready to make a return.

Few changes will be expected from the lineup against Girona. Marc Andre TerStegen continues in goal, Araujo, Kounde, Eric and Balde should complete the defense.

 Roberto wasn't convincing in midfield against Girona and could be replaced by Kessie, even though the ivorian is a card away from potentially missing the game against Atleti. Busquets and Gavi complete the Midfield, while Torres may come in for Fati and join Raphinha and Lewandowski in attack.

Where are Getafe vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Madrid, Spain

Stadium: Coliseum Alfonso Perez

Date: Sunday 16 April

Kick-off Time: 15:15 BST / 10:15 ET / 08:25 PT, 15:15 🇳🇬

Referee: Juan Luis Pulido Santana

While Barcelona are favored to win here, Getafe can't be taken for granted. Both teams will be desperate for the win in order to achieve their varied goals, so it will come down to quality on the pitch, who takes the most chances and makes the least mistakes. 

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS GIRONA

A feisty derby at the Spotify Camp Nou could provide Barcelona three more points, if they're willing to take it.

Following the shameful performance against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona have the chance to dust themselves off and get back to winning ways as they host Girona. With only La Liga to play for, there are no excuses for dodgy performances from Xavi's men. They should be bolstered by the defeat of Real Madrid by Villarreal, which means a win over Girona will take them 15 points clear of their eternal rivals, putting the league title within closer reach.

Girona are coming into this clash on the back of two wins, a draw and two losses in their last 5 games. They currently sit at 11th and have been fairly decent since they gained promotion. Only The top 3 teams in the league have scored more goals than the Catalans this season. It's unlikely that they'll be involved in the relegation battle, but they'll want to move further away from that with a positive result at the Camp Nou.

INTERESTING STATS

-Barcelona have the best defence in the league, having conceded just nine goals so far.

-Girona have only won two away matches in La Liga this season.

-Barcelona are the second-highest-scoring team in the league, having found the back of the net on 53 occasions in their 27 matches.

-The visitors have lost their last two league fixtures against Barcelona.

-Barcelona are on a four-match winning run in the league and will look to make it five in a row against Girona.

Last five meetings (in La Liga)

28/1/23 Girona 0-1 Barça 

27/1/19 Girona 0-2 Barça

28/9/18 Barça 2-2 Girona

24/2/18 Barça 6-1 Girona

23/9/17 Girona 0-3 Barça

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Xavi will once again be without the services of Pedri, Dembele, DeJong and Christensen. 

There won't be much changes in the side that played midweek. Ter Stegen will continue in goal, Roberto Araujo, Koundé and Balde should round up the defense.  Gavi, Kessie and Busquets will anchor the Midfield while Robert Lewandowski will be flanked by Raphinha and Ansu Fati.

Girona

Key midfielder Aleix Garcia has returned to training ahead of the contest, and the 25-year-old is expected to be back in the starting side for this clash.

However, Borja Garcia, Joel Roca, Alexander Callens, Yangel Herrera and Ibrahima Kebe are all expected to miss out through injury, while Reinier is suspended.

Míchel is expected to start with the 4-1-4-1 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will be in goal. Arnau Martinez and Javi Hernandez will be the full-backs for this away fixture. Meanwhile, Santiago Bueno and David Lopez will be the centre-back pairing.

Oriol Romeu will be the defensive midfielder in the centre of the park. In front of him will be the pair of Aleix Garcia and Ivan Martin, who try to dictate the pace of the game. Meanwhile, Viktor Tsygankov and Toni Villa will be the out wide in the midfield. Valentin Castellanos will be leading the attack for the visitors.

Where are Barcelona vs Girona playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Spotify Camp Nou

Date: Monday 10 April

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PST, 20:00 🇳🇬

Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz

Girona are very good, sometimes great going forward, but they've conceded as much as they've scored, keeping only one clean sheet this season, which is something Barcelona, who have kept 20 clean sheets, will take advantage of.

It's expected to be an entertaining derby, with Barcelona the favorites.

COPA DEL REY PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID

It's the fifth(!) Clasico of the season. And a very crucial one at that, again. Who wins this?

Once again, The biggest rivalry in club football is upon us. We're truly fortunate to witness FIVE clasicos this season across three competitions. The scoreline reads 

3-1 in favour of Barcelona already, it's the second leg of the Copa del Rey Semi finals, a game that'll decide who faces Osasuna in the final at La Cartuja, Seville. As if both teams didn't have enough reason to win this game already.

Barcelona have had the upper hand in recent times, coming on top in the first leg at the Bernabeu by a slender 1-0 win, followed by a 2-1 win at the Camp Nou in La Liga which saw them move 12 points clear of Real Madrid in second place.

Both teams recorded impressive wins at the weekend going into this game: Barça saw off Elche in a 4-0 thrashing while Real Madrid thumped Real Valladolid 6-0. Positive feeling all around. And now they're both back at the Camp Nou. Who moves on and who gives in?

INTERESTING STATS

- Real Madrid have won 101 while Barcelona have won 100 out of the 253 matches played between the two teams.

- Real Madrid have lost their last three matches against Barcelona, all three defeats have come in 2023.

- Los Blancos have already lost three of their 11 matches in La Liga in 2023. They had suffered just four defeats in the entire 2022.

- Barcelona are on a five-match winning streak in all competitions.

- The Catalan giants have won five out of their last six matches against Real Madrid in all competitions.

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

The Catalans will still have to make do without Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, Andreas Christensen and now, Frenkie DeJong. It makes the job a bit more difficult, but not impossible.

The team basically picks itself, sort of. Marc Andre TerStegen in goal, Araujo, Koundé, Alonso and  Balde in defense. Things get interesting from there. If it's a four-man midfield, we should see Gavi, Busquets, Kessie and Roberto. A three-man midfield will sacrifice one of the latter two for Ansu Fati, while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha round up the attack.

Real Madrid

Ferland Mendy is ruled out with another injury relapse, while Antonio Rudiger remains a doubt, even though he made the squad list. Ancelotti will want to pull up a surprise in his starting XI and tactics, given how he's been dominated in the last 3 clasicos.

Courtois, Militao and Alaba are sure to start. The fullback positions will be filled by two of Carvajal, Vasquez, Camavinga and Nacho. Modric, Kroos, Tchouameni and Valverde will likely make the starting XI.

After a sublime hattrick in the weekend, Benzema is sure to line up alongside Vinicius Jr. Marco Asensio and Rodrygo have made strong cases to start as well.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Real Madrid playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Wednesday 5 April

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 EST / 12:00 PST

Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera

VAR: Jose Luis González González

As with other versions of the ever grand El Clasico, this game is too close to call. One thing that's for sure: maximum entertainment. It's the last Clasico of the season. Hopefully it'll be the best one yet.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: ELCHE VS BARCELONA

La Liga is back! On the eve of Palm Sunday, Barcelona visit Elche in search of more good vibes.

After defeating Real Madrid yet again, this time in the league, Barcelona are now 12 points clear at the top. It'll probably take a disaster in the form of a meteor shower to prevent them from winning the league title at this point. Confidence is high and the team are looking to complete the domestic treble, which will be an insane achievement, considering where they were the last couple of years. After what feels like forever, there's reason to believe in Barcelona again.

The same can't be said for their hosts, Elche, who are all but sure to drop to Segunda Division next season after a disastrous campaign. They're currently on their fourth manager this season, which tells you the level of instability they've been dealing with. 13 points so far the season, they are firmly rooted at the bottom of the table and will likely finish there. This game is all about them giving a good account of themselves against the best possible opponent, which will serve as a bit of a morale booster.

INTERESTING STATS 

- We have to go all the way back to 1974 to find the last occasion Elche that managed to beat Barça, when Rinus Michels was on the blaugrana bench and Johan Cruyff was still playing.

- In fact, in a run dating back to 1984, Elche failed to score a single goal in ten games against Barça, which was the Catalans’ longest ever run without conceding against the same team. That run ended last season.

- Barcelona are the second-highest-scoring team in the league with 49 goals to their name.

- Elche have the worst defensive record in the league having conceded 51 goals.

Barcelona have the best defensive record in the league. They have conceded just 9 goals all season long.

- Elche have won just two matches in the entire season. Every other team in the division have won more than five matches.

- Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has 20 goal contributions in the league.

Last five meetings 

17/09/22  Barça 3 (Lewandowski 2,                               Memphis) Elche 0

06/03/22  Elche 1 Barça 2 (Torres,                                 Memphis)

18/12/21  Barça 3 (Jutglà, Gavi, Nico)                           Elche 2

24/02/21  Barça 3 Elche 0 (Messi 2, Alba)

24/01/21 Elche 0 Barça 2 (De Jong, Puig)

TEAM NEWS

Elche

Pablo Machin was sacked after the loss to Real Sociedad before the international break and replaced by Argentinian Sebastián Beccacece, a long time assist of Jorge Sampaoli. No one will envy Sebastián in his position right now.

Elche will be missing both Pape Cheikh and Lucas Boye through suspension this weekend, while Lisandro Magallan, Enzo Roco, Alex Collado and John Donald are on the sidelines through injury. Elche do have a major boost as their leading goalscorer in the league this season (6) Pere Milla is available for this fixture.

Machin is expected to go ahead with the 3-4-3 formation which will act like the 5-3-2 for the majority of the match given the amount of ball possession the visitors are expected to have. Edgar Badia will start in goal while Helibelton Palacios, Gonzalo Verdu and Diego Gonzalez will be the back three.

Carlos Clerc and Tete Morente will play the role of wing-backs as they will start in the midfield four alongside former Barça player Gerard Gumbau and Omar Mascarell. Ezequiel Ponce and Fidel Chaves will start out wide as the wingers. Meanwhile, Pere Milla will be leading the attack for the home team.

Barcelona

The visitors will be without the services of Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen and Pedri through injuries. Raphinha misses through suspension. Ronald Araujo has been given the green light to be a part of the squad but is unlikely to start due to the upcoming El Clasico. 

 Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be in goal. 

Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso have a chance to return to the staring XI, with Koundé moving back to CB position and Sergi Roberto starting as RB. Sergio Busquets will once again start as the holding midfielder, while Franck Kessie and Gavi will be in his support. 

Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati are more than likely to start, both with a point to prove. Robert Lewandowski will lead the attack as he looks to break his current drought in front of goal.

We could see some debuts as well, in the form of Garrido and Estanis. Torre, Alarcón and Casadó could also feature.

Where and when are Elche vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Elche, Spain

Stadium: Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero

Date: Saturday 1 April

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PST, 21:00 🇳🇬

Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande

What a mismatch, eh? 55 points separate the two teams, the largest gap between first and last at this stage of the season in La Liga History. That says it all about who's the favorite to win this one, even with injuries to key players. 

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID

It's one of the most crucial clasicos in recent history. Only one acceptable outcome: WIN!.

One of the greatest rivalries in the history of the game comes to the fore tonight: Barcelona host Real Madrid at the Camp Nou as they battle it out for 3 crucial points. The hosts need it to go 12 points clear at the top and further cement their hopes of winning La Liga, the visitors need it to stay alive, only just, in the title race. Who wins and who loses?

Barcelona remain quite unstoppable in the league, coming into this clash on the back of another 1-0 victory, this time at San Mames, one of the toughest grounds in La Liga. They've endured two defeats and two draws so far this season, conceding only 8 goals, one of them at home. They should have all the confidence they need to win this tie.

Real Madrid however, are way off the pace in La Liga, contrary to their form in the Champions League, where they just booked a spot in the quarter finals a few days ago over Liverpool with a 6-2 aggregate win. They know that it'll take a monumental collapse from the rivals to give them any chance in the La Liga title race, and they have the opportunity to trouble them tonight.

INTERESTING STATS

- This is Xavi's first El Clasico in the Camp Nou as manager. He has overseen six clasicos so far, three in the Bernabeu, the other three on neutral grounds, winning four of them.

- His only losses are the Supercup semifinal last year in Saudi Arabia (3-2) and the reverse league fixture in October, where Barcelona lost 3-1 at the Bernabeu.

-Barcelona have the best defence in the league, having conceded just eight goals so far.

-Real Madrid have the best attack in the league, they have found the back of the net on 50 occasions so far.

-Barcelona have won 22 out of their last 48 fixtures against Real Madrid.

-Robert Lewandowski has 15 goals in his 20 league starts for the Catalan giants.

-Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has 11 goals in his 15 league starts for Real Madrid.

-Los Blancos have 101 wins in official Clasico games, compared to 99 for the Blaugrana.

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona 

Ousmane Dembele and Pedri remain crucial absentees for Xavi. The Catalans have however, found ways to win games without their main men and can do so here as well.

Marc Andre TerStegen will resume his duties at the goal post, looking to keep yet another clean sheet. The meanest defense in La Liga remains intact, as Ronald Araujo is welcomed back from suspension. Xavi could use 3 or 4 midfielders in this game, which means Kessie may join Gavi, DeJong and Busquets. Raphinha, who has been getting the goals recently, will continue alongside Robert Lewandowski, who is desperately in need of a goal right now. Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres remain options in attack.

Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti will be without the services of David Alaba, who is sidelined with a hamstring strain. Everyone else is available. Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema have been deemed got enough to return to the squad.

Belgian shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois will be in goal. Nacho and Dani Carvajal will be the full-backs, while Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger will pair up in the heart of the defence.

Tchouameni will slot in as the holding midfielder, while Camavinga will keep his place in the centre of the park, alongside Luka Modric. Karim Benzema, Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior will form the attack. 

Where and when are Barcelona vs Real Madrid playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Sunday 19 March

Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea

VAR: TBC

It's the El Clasico, and as such, there are no favorites. Both teams desperately want the win and will go all out to get it. The best attack in the league squaring up against the best defense should make for a riveting clash.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: ATHLETIC CLUB VS BARCELONA

The Catalans travel to Basque country in search for another 3 points.

Barça enjoyed a rare week off in-between games after their victory over Valencia, but are back in action tonight, looking to recover their nine point lead in La Liga after Los Blancos saw off Espanyol at the Bernabeu.

Suffering only two defeats in the league after 24 games, Xavi's men have been imperious in La Liga and are currently favorites to win the title this season. Every game is a final now, and it starts tonight at San Mames.

The home side had a great start to the season but have trailed off recently, winning just one of their last five games in all competitions which have seen them drop to ninth position.

They remain four points behind sixth placed Villarreal however, so a finish in a European spot isn't far from reality. Can they get anything out of this fixture though?

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have won 29 games out of the 45 encounters between the two teams. They have only lost seven times.

- Athletic Bilbao midfielder Oihan Sancet has scored eight goals in 22 league starts this season.

- Striker Gorka Guruzeta who has started just seven league games this season has five goals to his name.

- Robert Lewandowski is leading the race for the La Liga golden boot and has 20 goal contributions in 19 league starts for Barcelona this season.

- Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele has ten goal contributions in 14 league starts in the ongoing season.

- In the last four years, Athletic have knocked Barça out of the Copa del Rey twice and also the Spanish Super Cup once. But despite those slips in knockout competitions, the Catalans have remained solid in the league, losing just one of their last 18 meetings with the Basques.

Last five meetings 

23/10/22 (LIGA) Barça 4-0 Athletic

27/02/22 (LIGA) Barça 4-0 Athletic

20/01/22 (COPA DEL REY) Athletic 3-2 Barça

21/08/21 (LIGA): Athletic 1-1 Barça

17/04/21 (COPA DEL REY): Athletic 0-4 Barça

TEAM NEWS

Athletic Club

Oihan Sancet, the Basque outfit's top scorer this season, will miss the game after being sent off in Vallecas last week. Unai Simon, Iñigo Lekue, Jon Morcillo and Ander Herrera are all sidelined due to injuries. Barça target Iñigo Martinez has recovered from his foot injury and will want to give a big performance to hopefully convince Alemany and co.

Julen Agirrezabala will continue to deputize in goal. The back four will likely comprise of Oscar De Marcos,  Inigo Martinez, Yeray Alvarez, Yuri Berchiche. 

Mikel Vesga and Dani Garcia will look to start as the double pivots in front of the defence. Nico Williams, Iker Muniain, and Alex Berenguer will team up in the midfield behind their star striker Inaki Williams. The Williams brothers will be key to Athletic Club's chances of getting anything from this game.

Barcelona 

Pedri and Ousmane Dembele remain unavailable for selection, but are edging closer to a return. Ronald Araujo was sent off last weekend and won't be available until the Clasico. Robert Lewandowski has recovered from his hamstring problems and is in the squad again. Gavi is available after returning from suspension.

The rest of the team picks itself. TerStegen, Balde, Christensen, Koundé will retain their spots. After a brazen performance at the Bernabeu, Marcos Alonso might get the nod over Eric Garcia to complete the backline.

Sergio Busquets, Frank Kessie, Raphinha and Ferran Torres are all at risk of suspension and will have to tread carefully in San Mames, which might see Sergi Roberto get a nod in Midfield. Ansu Fati was unfortunately not given enough time to get into rhythm against Valencia but will likely get the nod over Torres in attack.

Where are Athletic Club vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Bilbao, Spain

Stadium: San Mames

Date: Sunday 12 March

Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano

San Mames has become a sort of fortress for the home side, but when the big boys come to town, anything can happen, and it doesn't get bigger than Barcelona right now. 

After seeing Los Blancos cut the gap to Six points, Xavi's men will be poised to grab all three points ahead of the potential title decider next weekend.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS VALENCIA

The Catalans once again have the chance to go 10 points clear, this time likely temporarily though.

Following the impressive win at the Bernabeu a few days ago, the league leaders turn their attention back to La Liga as they host a struggling Valencia side. Xavi showed his pragmatism in the latest edition of El Clasico, adapting to the current condition of the squad to grind out a crucial win, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey Semis, which has been the norm for Barcelona this season anyways. That win should give them the confidence to continue their winning run after experiencing a bit of a rough patch recently.

On any other day, Valencia would fancy their chances at the Camp Nou, following their 1-0 win over top 4 contenders Real Sociedad, but their current status, coupled with that of their hosts, makes this an uphill battle for them. Any side fighting to stay up should never be taken for granted however, especially at this moment in the season when anyone can be punished. We expect them to keep fighting, but what are their chances of getting anything out of this game?

INTERESTING STATS

- Barcelona have not lost in their last six La Liga home games against Valencia

 - Barcelona are undefeated in 33 of their last 37 matches against Valencia in all competitions.

- Barcelona have scored at least two goals in five of their last six home matches against Valencia in all competitions.

- Valencia are without a clean sheet in their last five games in this fixture.

- Barcelona are are yet to taste defeat at home in La Liga this season.

- Valencia have picked up just six points on the road in the league this season.

Last five meetings

29/10/22 Valencia 0-1 Barça (Lewandowski)

20/02/22 (LIGA) Valencia 1-4 Barça (Aubameyang 2, F de Jong, Pedri)

17/9/21 (LIGA) Barça 3 (Ansu Fati, Memphis, Coutinho) Valencia 1

2/5/21 (LIGA) Valencia 2-3 Barça (Messi 2, Griezmann)

19/12/20 (LIGA) Barça 2 (Messi, Araujo) Valencia 2

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Xavi still remains short of attacking options due to the absence of Lewandowski and Dembele, hence his reason for lifting a thing or two out of the Diego Simeone playbook at the Bernabeu. The good thing is, both are close to a return, just like Pedri, another player who has been sorely missed. Andreas Christensen has shaken off his ankle discomfort and is back in contention. Gavi and Xavi will miss this clash due to accumulation of yellow cards.

We expect a similar lineup to the Clasico due to the options available. Christensen should replace Alonso in the defense and Ansu Fati should replace Gavi up front. The midfield trio of Busquets, DeJong and Kessie performed admirably on Thursday and will feature once more, although Sergi Roberto could replace the ivorian.

Valencia

As for Los Che, Gabriel Paulista, Marcos de Sousa, Jose Gaya, Edinson Cavani, Nico Gonzalez and Jaume Domenech will miss the contest through injury.

Paulista picked up a leg problem against Real Sociedad last time out, which is likely to lead to Eray Comert coming into the middle of the defence.

Hugo Duro and Samuel Lino could be joined by Samu Castillejo in the final third of the field, while Hugo Guillamon is likely to feature in central midfield on Sunday afternoon.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Valencia playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Date: Sunday 5 March

Kick-off Time: 15:15 GMT / 10:15 ET / 07:15 PT, 16:15 🇳🇬

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas

Barcelona know their slip up against Almeria was more than a warning about complacency, and they'll look to avoid that this weekend.

Both teams come into this game on the back of a morale boosting 1-0 win, which could make for a tricky contest, but the Catalans, as always, will remain favored in this tie.

COPA DEL REY PREVIEW: REAL MADRID VS BARCELONA

The El Clasico trilogy starts today! Who comes out on top?

Barcelona are back in Copa del Rey action. As the most successful team in the competition, they're gunning for yet another final. Their form of recent hasn't been the best, suffering two consecutive losses this past week. But if there's any game that can motivate the team to get back to winning ways, it's the Clasico at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid, unlike their rivals, have experienced a bit of an upswing in form recently. They were unable to follow their trashing of Liverpool with a win in the Madrid Derby however. Still lagging 7 points behind Barcelona in the league, last week's defeat of the Catalans at Almeria will make Los Blancos wonder if La Liga has truly slipped from their grasps. But they'll want to start with a victory in the Clasico.

INTERESTING STATS

-Real Madrid have not last lost a match at home since April 2022. Their last defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu came against Chelsea in the Champions League.

- Barcelona’s 18-game unbeaten run came to an end when they lost in the second leg of the Europa League knockout against Manchester United. Currently, they are on a two-game losing streak.

- Real Madrid and Barcelona have already met twice in the ongoing season. Real Madrid managed to win the league fixture at home while the Blaugrana won in the Spanish Super Cup final.

- Barcelona have not conceded a goal in their last two Copa del Rey matches.

Los Blancos have found the back of the net on six occasions in their last two Copa del Rey outings.

TEAM NEWS

REAL MADRID

Carlo Ancelotti will once again be without the services of Ferland Mendy, who is out injured. David Alaba will also miss this fixture because of the injury that he picked up in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg win over Liverpool.

Rodrygo and Tchouameni have made recoveries from their injuries and will be available for selection.

Thibaut Courtois will be in goal once again. The Real Madrid boss is expected to start with an unchanged back four. Dani Carvajal and Nacho will be the full-backs, while Eder Militao will pair up with Antonio Rudiger as the centre-backs.

Tchouameni and Modric will start alongside Toni Kroos in the midfield. And Federico Valverde will start as the right winger. The manager will surely start with Valverde because he is pretty aware of the importance he will have.

Valverde will be expected to drop back and make it 4-4-2 when Real Madrid defend. And, he has the legs to do it throughout the 90 minutes. Vinicius Junior will start on the left, while captain Karim Benzema will lead the line.

Barcelona

Xavi's injury list unfortunately keeps growing. Adding to Pedri and Dembele, Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring injury and is expected to be sidelined for the next couple of weeks. Andreas Christensen also reportedly has ankle discomfort and his participation at the Bernabeu is in question. Ansu Fati however, has made full recovery from a knee contusion and is available for selection.

Nevertheless, Xavi still has formidable weapons at his disposal. TerStegen is sure to start in goal. Eric Garcia or Marcos Alonso may take Christensen's spot in the backline that'll include Araujo, Kounde and Balde.

The midfield is where things get interesting. Pablo Torre has shown cause to be given more minutes. DeJong, Kessie, Gavi and Roberto are options, although it's difficult to predict how the midfield will lineup in Pedri's absence.

Barça are surprisingly short of attacking options. Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati and Angel Alcaron are the only options and will ahve to be at their clinical bests with any chances that may fall to them.

Where are Real Madrid vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Madrid, Spain

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu

Date: Thursday 2 March

Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT 21:00 🇳🇬

Referee: Jose Luis Munuera Montero

VAR: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez

El Clasico is always about passion, who want to win it the most. Team form leading to games like this aren't the best predictors of outcome.

What we expect is an entertaining clash involving two teams desperate for an upswing in momentum, a positive way to begin the month.

Let's go.