LA LIGA PREVIEW: ALMERIA VS BARCELONA

With their focus now on the primary goal, Barça travel to Almeria with the aim of stretching their lead at the top of the table.

With their Europa League campaign dead and gone, Barcelona can now turn their attention to what's been the primary goal for some time this season: La Liga.

Having just being reminded of what it means of lose for the first time in about four months, Xavi's men know that the league is theirs for the taking and will want to quickly put those dark thoughts aside and concentrate on the mission at hand.

Their opponents, Almeria, were last season's second division winners and have the eighth best home record in the top flight this season, but they've endured a surly welcome back to the top flight and come into this game on the back of a 6-2 whiplash at the hands of Girona, and a game against the league leaders is probably far from ideal as an immediate follow up.  They've been abysmal on away grounds, so their hopes of avoiding relegation rests on their performances on home turf.

INTERESTING STATS

- Since 2007, Barcelona and Almeria have locked horns 15 times across competitions. The visitors have been unbeaten so far and have come out on top 13 times.

- Barcelona have found the back of the net at least twice in their last ten meetings against Almeria.

- Barcelona have won their last seven league games against Almeria. And, they have kept a clean sheet on six of those occasions.

- The Catalan giants have won their last six away games in La Liga.

- Barcelona have the best defensive record in the league having conceded just seven goals in 22 outings.

Last five meetings

05/11/22 Barça 2-0 Almeria 

08/04/15 Barça 4-0 Almería

08/11/14 Almería 1-2 Barça

02/03/14 Barça 4-1 Almería

28/09/13 Almería 0-2 Barça

TEAM NEWS

Almeria.

 Midfielder Alejandro Pozo is the only notable absentee for head coach Rubi due to a muscle problem. He'll be expected to shuffle his lineup after the game at the Montilivi.

Arnau Puigmal, Largie Ramazani, Juan Brandariz and El Bilal Toure are expected to return to the starting eleven.

Barcelona

Pedri and Ousmane Dembele remain absent as they recover from muscle injuries. Ansu Fati suffered a knerle contusion in training and has been ruled out. Ronald Araujo is said to be fit enough for this game, and Gavi is expected to return to the starting XI.

With an El Clasico on the horizon, Xavi will be tempted to rotate a little bit. Marc Andre TerStegen remains untouchable. Jordi Alba, Marcos Alonso and Eric Garcia all have the potential to break into that backline. Ferran Torres has given a decent account of himself in recent times and deserves a start, alongside Raphinha and Lewandowski.

Where and when are Almeria vs Barcelona playing?

Location: Almeria, Spain

Stadium: Estadio Mediterraneo

Date: Sunday 26 February

Kick-off Time: 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET / 09:30 PT, 18:30 🇳🇬

Referee: Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias

VAR: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez

Frankly, Almeria have been quite decent at home, so this might not be a walk in the park for Barcelona.

Or maybe it'll be, as the Catalans will want to go into the Copa del Rey Semi finals on the back of a convincing victory.

LA LIGA PREVIEW: BARCELONA VS CADIZ

The Blaugrana are back in La Liga action tonight as they host a relegation threatened Cadiz at the Camp Nou.

Barça will seek to resume their immaculate form in La Liga and restore the eight point lead at the top of the table. It's that time of the season when fatigue and injuries begin to constitute nuisance but at the same time, the perfect opportunity for the team to show why they deserve the La Liga title this season. The schedule has become even more hectic, but that will be no excuse for not picking up 3 points against their Andalusian visitors.

Even though they're battling to stay up, as they usually do, Cadiz have proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the big sides time and again. Once a bogey team for their hosts, they succumbed to a 0-4 defeat in Andalusia earlier in the season against their hosts, ending what was a remarkable run of results against the Catalans. Having picked up all three points at the Camp Nou last term, they should have a bit of confidence going into this game, even though they've lost their last 2 away games.

INTERESTING STATS

Barcelona have won four out of the last eight matches against Cadiz. While the visitors have twice during this period.

The Catalan giants have the best defensive record in the league. They have only conceded seven goals in 21 matches.

Barcelona lost their last home game against Cadiz 1-0 in April last year. That was their only loss in their last 14 home games against Sergio Gonzalez Soriano’s team.

Barcelona have not lost in their last 12 league matches.

Cadiz have lost their last two away games in the league.

Last five meetings (all in La Liga)

2020-12-05 Cádiz 2-1 Barça

2021-02-21 Barça 1-1 Cádiz

2021-09-23 Cádiz 0-0 Barça

2022-04-18 Barça 0-1 Cádiz

2022-09-10 Cadiz 0-4 Barça

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Pedri joins Ousmane Dembele in the infirmary after sustaining a hamstring injury midweek. Sergio Busquets however, has been discharged and has returned to the squad, although he is not tipped to start. He's been missed. Ronald Araujo will also sit this one out due to suspension.

Xavi has declared that there will be rotations, so it might be a bit of a challenge guessing the starting XI.

Marc Andre TerStegen will of course be in goal. Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde will return to the lineup and complete the backline with probably Koundé and Alonso. Eric Garcia remains an option.

Sergi Roberto could be in for Koundé at RB or for Pedri in Midfield. Pedri's injury gives way to Pablo Torre, the wonderkid from Racing Santander who is deserving of more minutes and should get them tonight.

Ansu Fati is also tipped to start after a decent Cameo midweek. Gavi, DeJong, Kessie, Raphinha and Lewandowski are all expected to rounded up the starting XI. Ferran Torres still awaits his first start this year.

CADIZ

Sergio Gonzalez has a host of absentees for this clash as well, and that includes Joseba Zaldua, Jon Ander Garrido, Jose Mari (all injured). Victor Chust, Juan Cala, Alvaro Negredo and David Gil remain doubtful. 

The visitors will also be without the services of Alfonso Espino due to the yellow card that he picked up in the two-goal success over Girona last time out. Santiago Arzamendia is will replace Espino. 

Sergio will go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation. Jeremias Ledesma will start between the sticks. Isaac Carcelen, Luis Hernandez, Rafael Jimenez Jarque, and Arzamendia will be the back four in front of him.

Theo Bongonda, Gonzalo Escalante, Ruben Alcaraz, and Brian Ocampo will anchor the midfield, Roger Marti and Sergi Guardiola will pair up in attack.

Where and when are Barcelona vs Cadiz playing?

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Stadium: Camp Nou

Kick-off Time: Sunday 19 February: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT  21:00 🇳🇬

Referee: Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes

VAR: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez.

It'll be a daunting task for Cadiz to come to Camp Nou at this moment and get anything out of the game. Barcelona,one of the best teams in Europe right now, should be able to get the job done, whether or not there are rotations.