Barcelona are back in action in the Primera Division on Sunday with a match at home to struggling Valencia.
Luis Enrique’s side thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 in their last game at Camp Nou to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League with an epic comeback after losing the first leg 4-0, but the Blaugrana lost ground in La Liga last weekend as they went down 2-1 at Deportivo La Coruna.
Following Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Athletic Club on Saturday, the Catalans are now five points behind their fierce rivals at the top of the table.
Aleix Vidal is sidelined for the remainder of the season after suffering a horrific ankle injury at Alaves last month.
Jeremy Mathieu is also been out injured, but Neymar, who starred against PSG, returns after missing the 2-1 defeat away to Deportivo La Coruna last weekend.
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has an otherwise full-strength squad to choose from on Sunday. However, both Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique are just one yellow card away from picking up a one-match ban.
Gerard Pique Ferreira Carrasco Atletico Madrid Barcelona Copa del Rey
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is set to stick with 3-4-3 following the success of the formation in recent weeks.
The Asturian coach welcomes back Neymar after the Brazilian missed the 2-1 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna last weekend through injury. He will start along with international team-mate Rafinha in attack alongside Luis Suarez, with Messi in a deeper role.
Samuel Umtiti will return in defence alongside Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano.
Valencia are down in 13th place in La Liga and the stricken side have won just three games away from home in the Primera Division all season.
Voro’s men lost 3-0 at Atletico Madrid in their last match away from Mestalla, but they sit 11 points clear of the drop zone and should be safe from relegation despite their poor form this season.
Enzo Perez returns from suspension and should start at Camp Nou. Voro has no major injury concerns for the trip to Barcelona.
Barcelona have only lost two of their last 19 league games against Valencia (won 12, drawn five), both at Camp Nou (a 2-1 defeat in 2015-2016 and a 3-2 loss in 2013-2014).
Luis Enrique’s side has won their last six league games at Camp Nou, scoring 4.1 goals per game.
Luis Suarez has scored seven goals in his last five games against Valencia in all competitions, including his first four-goal haul for Barcelona.
Lionel Messi has scored more goals against Diego Alves than versus any other goalkeeper in his career at Barcelona (19 in all competitions).
Barcelona are the only La Liga side to have not had a player sent off in the Primera Division this season.
Barcelona versus Valencia kicks off at 20:45 CET at Camp Nou on Sunday and will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports 2 from 19:30 GMT.
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