WIthout Messi and Alba, it’s going to be a tough clash.
Team news
Barcelona
- Jordi Alba is suspended while Leo Messi will miss Barcelona’s match with a slight ankle problem.
- Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Gerard Pique are out with injuries.
Eibar
- Eibar will miss Yoshinori Muto, Sergi Enrich, Roberto Correa, Paulo Oliveira, Sergio Cubero and Cote through injury, while Damian Kadzior is unavailable through illness. (h/t SportsMole)
Key stats
- Barcelona have won four of the last five matches against Eibar, with the fifth one ending in a 2-2 draw.
- During these matches, the Catalans scored 15 goals and conceded only two.
- In their last matches across all competitions, Barca have recorded three wins, one draw and one loss while Eibar have got one win, two draws and two losses.
Probable line-ups
Barca XI: Ter Stegen; Dest, Mingueza, Araujo, Lenglet, Firpo; De Jong, Pjanic, Pedri; Griezmann, Braithwaite.
Eibar XI: Dmitrovic; Pozo, Burgos, Bigas, Arbilla; Leon, Edu, Diop, Gil; Kike, Quique. (h/t SportsMole)
Managers’ quotes
Ronald Koeman (Barcelona): “They’re a very competitive side who look to press their opponents hard. We need to play the level of football we played in our last game [a 3-0 win at Real Valladolid]. We’ll need to be on our game; otherwise, it’ll be a tough evening for us.”
Jose Luis Mendilibar (Eibar): “Barca has one of the best teams in La Liga. [Messi’s absence] has to be noticed because, in the end, Messi is the best player in the world, but the one who is going to replace him is going to be another high-quality player.”
Predictions
SportsMole’s Matt Law: Barcelona 2-0 Eibar
“Eibar lost 5-0 in the corresponding game last season, and we are finding it difficult to back anything other than a routine home victory on Tuesday night. Barca will be far from at full strength but should still have more than enough quality to put another three points on the board here.”
WhoScored’s Simon Harrison: Barcelona 3-1 Eibar
“Barcelona signed off for Christmas with four games without defeat. Ronald Koeman’s side have climbed up La Liga’s table recently but still remain off the title pace. Eibar are winless in their last four league games, suffering back-to-back defeats to Alaves and Real Madrid most recently.”
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