MX23RW : Tuesday, May 14 03:28:56| >> :120:21518:21518:
[monks data]
Barcelona logo
La Liga
Feb 21, 2015 at 3pm UK
 

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)
Juanmi (7')

Preview: Barcelona vs. Malaga

Sports Mole previews Saturday's La Liga clash between in-form Barcelona and Malaga as the hosts look to move top of the table.

Barcelona will look to keep their remarkable winning streak going when they host Malaga at Camp Nou on Saturday.

The Catalan giants have won 11 consecutive matches in all competitions and, with Real Madrid not playing until Sunday, would move top of the table for 24 hours at least should they bring up the dozen this weekend.

Their run of six consecutive league victories is the most that they have managed since October 2013 and has left them just one point behind Los Blancos.

A Champions League tie against Manchester City at the Etihad awaits Luis Enrique's side on Tuesday, but he will be wary of resting too many players against Malaga as he looks to avoid a slip-up in their domestic title chase.

The attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez will all be keen to start, having each netted in the 5-0 thumping of Levante last time out.

Messi picked up a record-equalling 23rd La Liga hat-trick in that game and is in some of the best form of his illustrious career, having netted 14 goals and contributed nine assists in his 11 games so far this calendar year.

The Argentine maestro has also scored in each of his last 10 games at Camp Nou, finding the net 17 times in that period, which is the best run of his career on home soil.

With Neymar also having scored seven in his last six games, Enrique faces the difficult balancing act of keeping his stars fresh for the Champions League without stunting their momentum.

Barca have won all but one of their 18 home matches in all competitions this season, while only three visiting teams have avoided defeat at Camp Nou in La Liga over the past 12 months.

Andres Iniesta could return in midfield for the hosts having overcome a bout of flu, while Dani Alves is also expected to be fit enough to start having missed out against Levante.

Rafinha could be drafted into the side, while Jordi Alba and Jeremy Mathieu are among those pushing for starts ahead of the midweek European tie.

For Malaga, that Champions League match is perhaps the only thing preventing this from being the worst possible time to face Barcelona.

The visitors have won just one of their last seven league games - a run that stretches to one in nine in all competitions. That has seen them slip down to seventh in the table, with six points now separating them from the European places.

Javi Gracia's side are looking to avoid falling to three consecutive defeats for the first time since October 2013, yet they are without a win in their last five away games and have lost each of their last 12 visits to Camp Nou.

It has been more than a decade since Malaga beat Barcelona in the league home or away, picking up just two points from a possible 54 in that time.

Their chances have been further hit by suspensions of Nordin Amrabat and Ignacio Camacho due to an accumulation of yellow cards, while Roberto Chen and Flavio Ferreira remain sidelined.

Javi Guerra is a doubt for the match but should be fit to lead the line as his side look to improve on their paltry tally of just three goals in their last seven games.

Barcelona:

Form in La Liga: WWWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Alba; Rafinha, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Malaga:

Form in La Liga: DLDWLL
Form in all competitions: DDLWLL

Possible starting lineup: Kameni; Rosales, Sanchez, Weligton, Boka; Darder, Recio, Samuel, Juanmi, Castillejo; Guerra

Sports Mole says: 3-0


ID:206448: cacheID:206448:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6607:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrate during the La Liga match against Atletico Madrid on January 11, 2015
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: Messi fires Barcelona in front
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CReal Madrid35286178225690
2Barcelona35237572432976
3GironaGirona35236675443175
4Atletico MadridAtletico35224964392570
5Athletic Bilbao351711757352262
6Real BetisBetis35141384641555
7Real Sociedad351412948371154
8Valencia35139133739-248
9Villarreal35139135960-148
10Getafe351013124148-743
11AlavesAlaves35119153440-642
12Sevilla351011144749-241
13Osasuna35117173953-1440
14Las PalmasLas Palmas35107183044-1437
15Mallorca35714142840-1235
16Rayo Vallecano35714142743-1635
17Celta Vigo35810174053-1334
18CadizCadiz35514162449-2529
RGranada3549223668-3221
RAlmeria35211223570-3517


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!