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The points that are put into play this afternoon in the Martínez Valero (4:15 p.m. Movistar LaLiga) they are highly sought after by the two teams in dispute. He Barça comes to Elche in the final part of his particular tour of Spain that will take him to play his seventh consecutive game today outside the Camp Nou (he still has to play an eighth in Vallecas) needing to win to stay hooked on noble positions. Al Elche the points are urgent with the same gravity but for different reasons (follow the game live on As.com).
Those of Almiron add their third consecutive day in descent. The development of the first round has taken him to his natural habitat, after the exciting match of the Joan Gamper and in the first five days of the League, in which they made the best start in their history in the First Division (three wins and one draw). He has not won for three months, since October 21 (2-1 at Valencia) and the calendar that is coming up does not invite optimism: Barça, Valencia and Villarreal. But they are aware that First comes to suffer.
The one who was not so clear about suffering and is getting used to force is Koeman's Barça. Barcelonistas are an exhausted team or, at least, squeezed out. They have played 27 games in four months, their squad is short (in quantity, but also in quality) and They arrive in Elche after having played six games away from home with their corresponding trips and the last three needed extra time. You don't have to be a lynx to see that if Elche puts rhythm to the game, Barça can suffer.
After Barça's appeal was dismissed for the two games of suspension to Messi, Koeman is aware that his most intimidating player will not be on the pitch.
Instead, the Dutch coach recovers De Jong and Jordi Alba, who rested in the Cup match. He will have to continue squeezing the rest. No more wax than burns.