Strong Barcelona squad announced for Sevilla second leg
The Catalans have a 2-0 deficit to overcome so a full-strength XI is needed.
Ernesto Valverde has employed a policy of rotation during January in order to keep his key players fresh as well as utilise the squad depth that Barcelona possess. This has largely been successful as they have won every league match this month and they managed to beat Levante in the Copa del Rey, although a strong side was needed to overcome the 2-1 result from the first leg.
For the first leg against Sevilla, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets were both rested, while Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Philippe Coutinho all started on the bench. This bold strategy didn’t work as Sevilla were able to come away with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Pablo Sarabia and Wissam Ben Yedder.
Barca are taking no such risks this time around as Valverde has named a strong matchday squad. The main addition is Messi who serves as the chief creative and goalscoring force for the team, so his presence alone should be a major boost for the team. Busquets could also be key because at his best he is unplayable as he dictates play from deep and ensures the ball progresses effortlessly up the pitch to the creative players. Alba’s threatening runs on the left flank are also a major part of Barcelona’s attacking play.
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They may be 2-0 behind but Camp Nou has been a fortress since Valverde took over as the manager as they have only lost twice there. Sevilla are a top side, though, and they appear to have regained form after a poor run. The recent 5-0 victory over Levante is sure to boost their confidence coming into this match.