Jordi Alba missed the game against Leganes after being suspended one match for yellow card accumulations. He will be back for the clash against Sevilla which is good news for Barcelona.
If anyone benefited from the break, it was Alba. He’s had a start-stop season with two lengthy injuries forcing him to miss some time. The break allowed him time to heal and he looked like his former self against Mallorca.
Given how the Sevilla defense is going to try to contain Messi, his link-up play with the Argentinian is going to be key if Barcelona hope to win the game.
However, they will be without right-back Sergi Roberto who had to to specific training because of an injury. According to an official club statement, the player suffered a rib fracture forcing him to miss the Sevilla game.
Expect Nelson Semedo to be thrust back into the starting eleven.
Samuel Umtiti, who came on as a sub against Leganes, will also miss the match and will be serving a one-match suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.
The Barcelona defense has been put under pressure in both games. But thanks to some timely saves by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, they have keep two clean sheets so far which has allowed the team to settle in to these first two games and not find themselves chasing the scoreboard.
Against Sevilla, they are likely to have an even tougher go of it with the German goalkeeper likely to be called upon quite a bit.
Expected Barcelona defense
Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Right-back: Nelson Semedo
Right center-back: Gerard Pique
Left center-back: Clement Lenglet
Left-back: Jordi Alba