Match Preview : Barça VS Sevilla

It’s the final game of the match day and its yet another huge one. Live from the Spotify Camp Nou at 9pm local time, we’ll be facing Sevilla in what is another vital game in the season. We don’t have a game in midweek so for the first time in a long while, we’re going to have a full week’s rest before our next league game.

It’ll be interesting to see how we decide to lineup, especially considering how hard the team worked in our last game away at Real Betis. I think Xavi will rotate a few players, but considering we’re going to have a week off after this, i think he’ll go strong. It’s vital we pick up a positive result tonight. Sevilla are always a tricky team to face, no matter the situation.

A quick look at our opponents:

When it comes to Sevilla, they have had a very strange season so far. They were forced to let go of a lot of their most important players in the summer. Of course one of those players was Jules Kounde, who is now one of the most important players at Barca. They were unable to get concrete replacements in and also let go of Lopetegui at the beginning of the season.

Jorge Sampaoli has taken over, but that hasn’t fixed all their problems entirely. They were recently knocked out of the Copa Del Rey and out of the Champions League too. Sevilla currently find themselves in 14th place, two points off of the relegation zones. That in itself is unthinkable for such a historic club like Sevilla. And in a sense sums up how neglected La Liga has become over the last few years.

Despite all of this, they are on a winning streak in La Liga, winning their last two games. Winning three, losing one and drawing the other in their last five games. They have scored a total of 21 goals so far this season, conceding 26 in the process. Sevilla are going to put up a stern test for us, regardless of their current form. We just need to ensure we turn up for the occasion. And come away from the game with a positive result and an even more impressive performance.

Predicted lineup:

Like i mentioned previously, it’ll be interesting to see how Xavi decides to lineup. I personally think that it will remain pretty much the same as it was against Real Betis. The four man midfield system has been able to get the best out of the whole team so far. And I don’t think there’s any reason to change that.

We’re starting to see some consistency, and thats really important. Sevilla wont sit back as much as other teams, they’ll want to come and play. Which should hopefully play into our hands with the system. Also, we are going to have a full week off after this game, so bar a couple rotations, i think Xavi will go with the same lineup.

Araujo has played a lot of games since coming back from injury. He hasn’t really had a full rest since the Copa game against Ceuta. So to keep him fit and sharp, i think Xavi could rest him tonight. For me, its a choice between him and Kounde. They’ve both played a lot of football and would both benefit from a rest.

Balde also missed training yesterday with a fever, so he might start from the bench too. The midfield will most likely stay the same. And the attack of Lewandowski and Raphinha will probably keep consistent too. The Brazilian has been wracking up the numbers since the turn of the year. And although he sometimes doesn’t perform as good as we all know he can. His effort and relentlessness in defence and attack is crucial for how we play. It would also be nice to see Ansu start alongside Lewandowski. He’s an incredible talent, who is slowly building his way back. And he seems to play a lot better with Lewy alongside him. Getting a start and bagging a goal too would be amazing for his confidence. And the same applies for Ferran.