Barcelona make the trip to Elche on Saturday night looking to strengthen their grip on top spot in LaLiga.
Hansi Flick’s side hold a slender one‑point advantage over Real Madrid, meaning there is no margin for error when they play away at the newly-promoted host’s Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero this weekend.
Barcelona team news
Pedri is still sidelined after picking up a hamstring problem recently, with Barcelona confirming the midfielder faces around a month out and is therefore not expected back until late February at the earliest.
Gavi also remains in the final stages of his rehabilitation following knee surgery in September last year. The plan is for him to rejoin the squad before the end of February if his current progress continues. Andreas Christensen, meanwhile, is set for a much longer spell on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury in training earlier this month.
There is better news in attack; Ferran Torres has shaken off a hamstring issue and is now fully fit. He featured as a substitute in Barcelona’s most recent outing and could be promoted to the starting XI after returning to full sessions and receiving medical clearance. Frenkie de Jong is also back in contention following his suspension in the Champions League and is expected to captain the side in Elche.
Eric García should be available again after he was withdrawn at half‑time as a precaution during the win over Copenhagen. Flick, though, may decide to manage his minutes carefully given the defender has already racked up 33 appearances across all competitions this season.
In attack, Lamine Yamal remains one of Barça’s main weapons: the teenager scored in the victory over Copenhagen and, having already been named LaLiga’s Player of the Month for both November and December, is set to start once more and shoulder a leading role in the final third.
Barcelona predicted lineup
Possible Barcelona starting XI: J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Balde; E Garcia, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; F Torres
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Saturday, 31st January.
How to watch Elche vs Barcelona?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to live stream Elche vs Barcelona on Disney+.
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