Barcelona are looking to bounce back from a disappointing week with a win against Unai Emery’s Villarreal on Thursday.
Barça have all but been knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage once again after drawing 3-3 with Inter at Camp Nou, before then falling to a 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid in El Clasico.
The pressure is on Xavi to turn their fortunes around. Here’s who he could pick to try and defeat the Yellow Submarine.
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Having conceded just once in Barcelona’s opening eight La Liga games, Ter Stegen was powerless to stop Real Madrid from scoring three times on Sunday.
RB: Sergi Roberto – After a horrific year battling injury, Roberto is firmly back in Xavi’s plans.
CB: Jules Kounde – Returned to the starting XI after an Achilles problem in El Clasico. It didn’t go well for the Frenchman.
CB: Eric Garcia – No, Eric, Gerard Pique is meant to be the self-destructive Barcelona centre-back, not you.
LB: Jordi Alba – It’s been a testing term for the 33-year-old so far, but Barça still need his useful final-third tools.
DM: Sergio Busquets – One of the scapegoats of Barcelona’s recent malaise, Busquets still continues to get the nod over Frenkie de Jong.
CM: Gavi – Club president Joan Laporta could barely keep his emotions in check when Gavi was awarded the Kopa Trophy on Monday.
CM: Pedri – The former Las Palmas midfielder was on hand to pass the physical and metaphorical torch to Gavi at that Paris ceremony.
RW: Ferran Torres – Fallen down the pecking order this season, but could be afforded a rare start as Raphinha’s struggles continue.
CF: Robert Lewandowski – La Liga’s top scorer will be looking to get one over Villarreal after they dumped him and his Bayern Munich side out of the Champions League last season.
LW: Ousmane Dembele – A firm favourite of Xavi’s and one of the first names on the teams heet again.
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