IMPORTANT MATCH TO START FEBRUARY

Barça closes the first round of LaLiga visiting a complicated Betis

Published:1/02/2023 - 00:51h

Updated:1/02/2023 - 13:08h

Although the leadership of LaLiga is not at risk, Barça know that they cannot leave points in the coming weeks if they want to reach the last days depending on themselves to be champions.

After defeating it in the batch of penaltis in the Supercopa, the FC Barcelona reencontrará a pair of weeks afterwards with the Betis. In a party reprogramado of the Day 17, as the one who will contest Real Madrid and Valency this Thursday, the culés will complete like this his calendar of the first turn of LaLiga, trying keep or expand his advantage in the first place of the tournament.

The visit to a field like the Villamarín never is simple for any team, and this includes to the ones of Xavi Hernández. However, the good news for the culés is that if we take into account the direct clashes between both teams, is evident that the blaugranas are the favourites. And it is that they have achieved the victory in 17 occasions in the last 22 clashes, whereas the béticos only have added the three points in two occasions in this lapse.

The bad news for the Barça will be in that it will be the first -of several- split that they will have to play without Ousmane Dembélé. The French went out lesionado the past Saturday in Girona and will be returning in some 4 or 5 weeks if all evolves properly. The absence of the extreme definitively will weigh, but the technical body looks forward to to show that has the necessary alternatives to keep on being solids in LaLiga.

It reappears the goleador

The fall of Dembélé goes to be countered with the return of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres to the championship after fulfilling his respective sanctions. The '9' Polish will be to title in the field bético, probably beside the Spanish attacker, and will set up his capacity to be a constant threat for any rival, inside and out of the area.

The ex Bayern great already 13 goals in League and after losing 3 dates of the championship, wants to go back what before to help to the team. The Barça takes out 5 points of the advantage to the Madrid and expects to close of definite way the first turn of the championship with this same advantage, or ideally be able to expand it all what was possible thinking in that the calendar will heat increasingly.

It spoke the míster

Xavi went through the room of press and left clear what expects of the crash in front of the ones of Pellegrini, a technician that the egarense knows very well of his stage like player culé. "It serves us of a lot the party of the Supercopa. Pellegrini Varies very little his system and works him a lot, have a lot of talent and with balloon is of the best teams of LaLiga. Have differential players and of a lot of level. It will cost us a lot in his stadium but have to impose the fact to have the balloon. It will be very important to keep the possession and follow attacking", explained Xavi.

Before finalising his intervenció wanted equally do emphasis in the injury of Dembélé. "It is an important and sensitive drop. It is an injury in a difficult musculature to foresee because it is in a zone complicated. It was in a moment of confidence and extraordinary game, generated us differences and an important defensive work", sentenced.