Barcelona host Alavés in La Liga matchday 1

Barcelona kick off their new domestic campaign as they welcome Deportivo Alavés to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona get the defence of their La Liga title underway as they host Deportivo Alavés at the Camp Nou on Saturday night. Thinking back to the 16/17 season, Barcelona fell 1-2 to this club at the Camp Nou on match week three, although Ernesto Valverde’s more pragmatic approach should avoid any similar slip ups and get the club off to the right start as they are bidding to be the first club since 2016 to retain the Spanish top flight title.

Can Suárez find his footing?

A prominent feature of last weekend’s Supercopa final was the dire performance of Luis Suárez. A player who took an eternity to find his best form last season, not hitting full stride until around the end of October. He put in what is quite possibly his worst performance in a Barcelona jersey to date as he was a yard or two off the pace, displayed a dreadful first touch and was not his usual self in front of goal.

While it is not quite time to search for a new number nine, this issue will surely be a worry for Valverde, as another sluggish start this season could cost Barcelona a lot more than it did last with a tougher start to the campaign. The first real test Barcelona faced last season was the trip to face Atlético Madrid in October, by which point Suárez had begun to find form. However, Barcelona face some tough tests early, with the annually tricky trip to the Anoeta to play Real Sociedad, while Bilbao, Valencia, Sevilla and Real Madrid will all be played before match week eleven.

Much like Ousmane Dembélé’s injury did last season, another slow start could force Valverde in to another tactical rethink. Wether he goes 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, Suárez’ competition up front includes both Munir and Paco  Alcácer, two players whom Valverde apparently does not trust. If he is forced to mix things up, expect Messi to be pushed to a more central role, with the wider positions being filled by two of Coutinho, Dembélé, or new signing Malcolm.

Midfield conundrum

Again, regardless of the formation deployed by the coach, he has a wealth of options to choose from for the league opener. In a 4-3-3, Busquets will play in the deep-lying defensive midfield role, with any two of Arthur, Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitić, Sergi Roberto or Philippe Coutinho playing alongside him. Whereas with last season’s preferred 4-4-2 would see Busquets and Rakitić perform as a double pivot, with any two of Coutinho, Dembélé or new arrival Malcolm providing a creative spark from out wide.

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One slight worry for Barcelona fans is the temperament of fellow new signing Vidal. Tenacious in the middle of the park with outstanding technical ability, despite what people say, he does have ‘Barca DNA’. However, his disciplinary record has raised some eyebrows, having picked up three yellow cards in his last ten games for club and country. While Valverde has to further decide on the strongest starting position for Philippe Coutinho, starting him in a multitude of positions during his debut half season last campaign. One thing is for sure, though, as no matter what position he is assigned, Coutinho is a wonderful player who should thrive in Barcelona for the next several seasons, after scoring eight goals and assisting a further five since his arrival.

As Barcelona have proved better than anyone over the last decade, games are won and lost in midfield, so complacency must not be a factor in the coaches selection as they are coming up against a side everyone expects them not only to beat, but to brush aside comfortably on opening day.

Can Dembélé continue his good form?

In stark contrast to Suárez, Dembélé played a wonderful game against Sevilla, and brilliantly struck the ball in to the top corner from outside the box, in what ultimately turned out to be the match winner. Despite some ridiculing the club, labelling the young prodigy a panic buy following Neymar’s departure, as he got injured and played inconsistently to say the least despite over 100 million euros being paid to Borussia Dortmund for his services, he is now displaying his obvious talents following victory with France at the World Cup.

Following the tournament in Russia, Barcelona fans were pressuring him to cut his holiday short to join up with the team, and he duly obliged. With the aforementioned Supercopa final his first match back, he followed that up with another solid outing opposite Boca Juniors in the Gamper Trophy, and has surely done enough to secure his spot in the starting eleven.

Taking in to consideration Suárez’ form, playing Messi down the middle, while allowing Dembélé to start on his stronger right-sided role seems like the safest option, while Malcolm or Coutinho can start on the left. When looking at Madrid’s slow start to their title defence last season, Valverde must ensure the same does not happen to his squad as he looks to make it two league titles out of two in the Barcelona dugout.

Prediction

As previously stated, as long as complacency does not creep in, this should be a routine outing for Barcelona. Messi looked up for it against Boca and has an excellent record in the opening weeks, while all of the new signings have seemingly settled well.

Even with the misfiring Suárez, this Barcelona side still carries bags of goals, while achieving the second best defence in the league last season. Expect a party atmosphere at the Camp Nou and Messi to bag a goal or two as they get their season off to the right start.

Prediction: Barcelona 4-0 Alavés.