Barça and Sevilla open the second round at odds
The ‘culers’ can join Sevilla and Betis as their victims of the week
BARCELONA, 4 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona receives Sevilla FC this Sunday at the Camp Nou (9:00 p.m./DAZN) on matchday 20 of LaLiga Santander, the first of the second round, with Barça’s second straight duel against a team from the city of Seville that they face with the objective of winning again although, despite their bad first round, Sevilla arrives somewhat better at the clash and will try to surprise the leader and winter champion.
After beating Real Betis (1-2) last Wednesday at the Benito Villamarín, in a match postponed at the time for the Spanish Super Cup, Barça closed the first round as winter champions, with a 5-point margin over Real Madrid –second– and with one of the best league starts in its history.
Now, the blaugranas receive at home the eternal rival of the béticos, a Sevilla that is still fighting to escape from some relegation places that, by surprise for all, it occupied. If Betis fought against Barça to return to ‘Champions’ positions, Sevilla will fight to put land in the middle with respect to that unexpected hell.
The opening of the second round is important for both. For Barça, this time Real Madrid –visit Mallorca– plays first and the Catalans will know if they will fight to widen, maintain or not reduce that current difference of 5 points.
Giving continuity to those 50 points out of a possible 57 to turn the (symbolic) winter championship into the real and final alirón is vital. And they must start by beating a Sevilla team that lost 1-0 on their last visit to the Camp Nou. Barça has not lost in the League and at home against Sevilla since the 0-3 loss in December 2002, more than two decades ago.
But now the locals will face a Sevilla still injured but in some improvement, which comes from beating Cádiz and Elche in the last two days, in two finals for Jorge Sampaoli’s team. In fact, Sevilla is on the best run of its fateful season and they want to break their spell in the Catalan capital.
The people of Seville only conceded one defeat in the last five days. It was against Girona in Montilivi (2-1) –where Barça recently won (0-1)–, and the rest was a draw against Celta de Vigo (1-1) and a victory against Getafe (2- 1), in addition to those commented on Cádiz (1-0) and Elche (3-0).
Ousmane Dembélé will not be at Barça, who has been out for a month due to the first injury he suffered while Xavi Hernández was on the ‘culer’ bench. A Xavi who this week starred in a campaign to invite the Blaugrana member and fan to go to Spotify Camp Nou in the remainder of the campaign to cheer on his team.
The rest of the players are at the disposal of the Terrassa coach. Also Alejandro Balde, after overcoming a feverish process, and a Robert Lewandowski who returned in the duel against Betis after his three-game ban. And he did it by scoring the provisional 0-2, before Jules Koundé’s own goal that added some emotion to the clash in Heliopolis.
On the part of Sevilla, the casualties are several. To the already known, long-lasting ones of Álex Telles, Marcao and Corona, is added that of captain Jesús Navas –injured– and the absence of Adnan Januzaj, who left in this winter market for Istanbul Basaksehir. Of course, Erik Lamela returns after sanction.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Christensen, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Gavi, De Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski and Pedri.
SEVILLE FC: Bonus; Montiel, Bade, Gudelj, Rekik, Coin; Jordan, Ferando, Rakitic; En-Nesyri and Ocampos.
–REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez (C. Murciano).
–STADIUM: Spotify Camp Nou.