Previous of the Elche-FC Barcelona of LaLiga

KEY MATCH FOR BARÇA

Let's continue the streak! A grown Barça wants to attack the Elche fort

Published:5/03/2022 - 19:10h

Updated:5/03/2022 - 19:10h

FC Barcelona visits Elche this Sunday at the Martínez Valero stadium (4:15 p.m., in Spain) in an essential game to try to cut points with the top positions in LaLiga

The FC Barcelona is still in ascending line and with spirits of revertir the complicated beginning of season of the team. The Barcelona do not think, for the moment, in a traced back in LaLiga, but yes want to 'guerrear' for recortar points with the first positions of the Spanish championship. To win to the Elche, this Sunday to the 16:5 hours, would be stepping important.

The Barça only can allow add of three in three in this stretch of the season, if it wants to ensure his square for the next Champions League. To fault that it contest the pending party against the Ray, the culés have very little margin of error and have to win all the possible clashes to keep in the 'top 4' of LaLiga.

It will try it in front of an Elche that that gave war to the culés in the first turn, with an adjusted 3-2 that did to suffer to the Barça to the end. Nico González was the attendant to mark the difference to fault of five minutes for the end in a party that seemed allocated to remain empatado. The ones of Xavi advanced with goals of Jutglà and Gavi (16' and 19'), but José Antonio and Pere Mile equalised the marker in the second part.

From the arrival of Francisco, the Elche has changed his face and the registers since are the proof of this, especially andn the stadium Martínez Valero, where only have yielded a tie in five parties from the change of trainer. The ilicitanos, that are in a comfortable position in the classification (14, with 29 points), want to follow keeping the good series in his stadium and give a hit on the table to escape , finally, of the terror of the zone of descent.

The Barça will not put it easy, this is clear, because the team comes in a series very positva. They have registered three goleadas consecutive (with 4 goals in each party), whereas in the last month added four victories and two ties. Xavi Hernández has achieved to give him back the shine to the team and the feelings, for the moment, are very positive.

Rest in Elche?

The Barça knows that win in the Martínez Valero is key to follow firm in LaLiga, but in the horizon also is the party against the Galatasaray by the gone of the eighth of final of the Europe League, this Thursday to the 21:00 hours, by what no descarta that Xavi can rotar to give rest to his more used players.

In the announcement have not had big novelties, except the return of Jordi Alba after fulfilling sanction against the Athletic of Bilbao. Likewise, Xavi has gone back to 'dispense' of Jutglà or Ez Abde, those who are still in dynamics of the Barça B. The surprise has been Martin Braithwaite, the one who remained out of the list by technical decision.

In any case, Xavi Hernández has insisted in that it will manage the minutes and will give rest, especially in the attack, where more has alternative: "Have five parties in two weeks and it is necessary to manage the minutes, the tiredness, the annoyances... There are options in attack, and am loved for having them because before it did not have them".

The Elche, with drops

The ilicitanos receive to the Barça hurt after fitting a goleada against the Raise (3-0) and will look for to step more to the salvation, but are conscious that it will be complicated by the level of the culés and because, besides, are varied the drops that will have Francisco in his staff. The trainer will not be able to have the central Pedro Bigas, neither with the Colombian side Helibelton Palaces, neither with the midfield player Gerard Gumbau, sanctioned.