Nico Gonzalez is challenged by Juan Jesus during the UEFA Europa League Knockout Round Play-Off match between FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli at Camp Nou on February 17, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Barcelona need to be up to the task to remain in Champions League places
Coming off a disappointing draw in the Europa League against Napoli, Barcelona must turn the page and focus on Valencia if the Catalans want to stay in the top four in LaLiga.
Valencia may sit in the bottom half of the table in 12th place, but Los Che are always a difficult opponent, especially when playing them at the Mestalla.
They cannot afford to take any rival lightly and need to continue building momentum. Xavi’s team played well against Atletico Madrid only to take a step backward in the draw in the Catalan Derby against Espanyol.
Barcelona need to pick up all three points not only to build confidence but to try to climb up the table.
“Every game is like a final for us,” Xavi said during Saturday’s pre-match press conference. “We have to be in the top four.
“We urgently need the points. Winning at Valencia is essential.”
Source: Marca
The players brought in during the January transfer window — Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — have all had a positive impact on the team. Traore has added a dimension Barcelona have sorely lacked.
But scoring goals still is the team’s weak point as demonstrated midweek against Napoli. Fortunately for Xavi, they were able to create chances. Over time, these things tend to average out so the belief is the goals will come.
Defensively, the team is a shambles at the back and with no Dani Alves who is serving the second, and final, match of a suspension, the right-back position continues to be a problem. Expect either Oscar Mingueza or Sergiño Dest to be given the nod.
What Barcelona will have that they didn’t in the Europa League is Ronald Araujo. The Uruguayan wasn’t able to recover in time but was given the medical green light and could feature against Valencia is Xavi so chooses.
Araujo has been the club’s most consistent, and probably best, defender all season and having him available should be a huge boost.
Barcelona has only lost once in their last 14 visits to Valencia. That loss came in 2020 when Quique Setien was still in charge. Again, those numbers can be thrown out the window as they no longer have Lionel Messi.
Managed by Jose Bordalas, Valencia are sure to deploy a physical approach against Barcelona. It will be interesting to see, however, how Barcelona handle Valencia when they are on the attack as Gerard Pique is also suspended after picking up a red card against Espanyol.
If Araujo can go, expect a center-back pairing of Araujo and Eric Garcia. The former Manchester City player is coming off an injury and had a costly mistake when he came on last week to replaced the injured Araujo.
With Atletico Madrid and Villarreal having won their respective matches, Barcelona sit in sixth place in the table. A win will see them reach 42 points and leapfrog both teams with a game in hand.
In other words, this is a golden opportunity to cement their top four status in LaLiga and, should they win their game in hand, put some space between them and the likes of Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.
