Barcelona and Villarreal meet in a huge LaLiga clash at the Camp Nou on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts will aim to tighten their hold on top spot in the table, while third-placed Villarreal make the trip motivated by two straight wins that have boosted their momentum.
Barcelona team news
Barcelona have suffered a major setback with confirmation that Frenkie de Jong will be out for around six weeks after picking up a hamstring injury in training, further reducing Hansi Flick’s options in midfield.
Defender Andreas Christensen is still unavailable as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.
Gerard Martin is also ruled out, as he serves a one-match suspension after collecting too many yellow cards.
There is some better news for Barca, with Gavi back working on the training pitch following the knee injury that has sidelined him since August, although he is not expected to feature in competitive action until March.
Head coach Hansi Flick, who is set to take charge of his 100th game for Barcelona, underlined the need for full concentration before the international break, saying that these next two weeks are crucial and that performances, especially against strong opponents like Villarreal, will decide how successful this spell is. He added that there are seven matches to navigate before the break and that winning them would put the team in a very strong position.
Barcelona predicted lineup
Possible Barcelona starting XI: J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Cancelo; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Lewandowski
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 3:15pm BST on Saturday, 28th February.
How to watch Barcelona vs Villarreal?
The game will be streamed live on LaLiga TV.
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