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FC Barcelona host CD Leganés in La Liga Matchday 23

By Benjamin Barkworth

LEGANES, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: FC Barcelona line up prior to start the La Liga match between Deportivo Leganes and FC Barcelona at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on September 17, 2016 in Leganes, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
LEGANES, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: FC Barcelona line up prior to start the La Liga match between Deportivo Leganes and FC Barcelona at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on September 17, 2016 in Leganes, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /
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Barcelona will be hoping to get back to winning ways after the midweek catastrophe against PSG.

Form

The Catalans haven’t lost in the league since early October, and haven’t lost at Camp Nou since September in all competitions. This shows how strong they have been at home this season. In terms of the league, they have won four of their last five matches. However, they are going in to this game on the back of the loss against PSG in the Champions League, so they are in mixed form. Leganés are in a major slump going in to this match. They haven’t won in their last twelve games in all competitions. In terms of their league form, they have lost their last three, and have only picked up two points in the last five games.

Squads

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Luis Enrique is missing a few key players for this match. Injuries to Arda Turan, Javier Mascherano and Aleix Vidal mean they are all out. They are also without Sergio Busquets due to suspension because of yellow cards that he has accumulated. Carles Aleñá has been called up to the squad because of these injuries. Asier Garitano also has a few issues to deal with. Robert Ibáñez, Jon Serantes, Mamadou Koné and David Timor are all out injured. They are also without Rubén Pérez due to suspension.

Next: Jorge Sampaoli's comments on the Barcelona job

History

History is limited between these two teams because this is the first season that the teams have met in the league. This is Leganés’ first season in the top division, and Barcelona have never been relegated. They have also never met in the Copa del Rey. Therefore, the only game between the two is Barcelona’s 5-1 win earlier in the season.

Barcelona Gerard Pique during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona on February 14, 2017 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (Photo by Mehdi Taamallah/Nurphoto) (Photo by Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Barcelona Gerard Pique during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona on February 14, 2017 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (Photo by Mehdi Taamallah/Nurphoto) (Photo by Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

Playing Style

Leganés like to play a direct style with the aim to get the ball up to the strikers as quickly as possible rather than passing it around the back. They could use this aerial ability and direct style of play to unnerve the Barcelona defenders. However, the Catalans aren’t as weak as they used to be to this style of play because Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Piqué are both relatively comfortable in this area.

The team from Madrid are poor on the counter-attack, so their chances of getting a result from Camp Nou are low. Their only outlet is direct balls to Alberto Bueno or Miguel Guerrero and relying on them to hold it up. This means they are going to spend the majority of the time deep in their own half, and are likely to get little chance to relieve the pressure.

Barcelona will have been shocked by the result in midweek, but they are likely to use it as inspiration. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a strong attacking display which blows Leganés away.

Prediction: FC Barcelona 6-1 CD Leganés

Predicted Lineup

Andrés Iniesta instead of Denis Suárez is a possibility.