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We have two of Spain’s giants meeting at the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys this weekend with league leading Barcelona facing an improving Sevilla in Catalonia.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 20th October, 2024 - UK – 9:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – ITV / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Barcelona vs Sevilla may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – ITVX / US – ESPN+
BARCELONA PREVIEW: BRILLIANT BLAUGRANA
Former Germany and Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick has had an excellent start to his tenure in charge of Barcelona. They have managed eight victories with one defeat at the start of this season with that one defeat coming against Osasuna with a heavily rotated side.
The Blaugrana managed to recover from that 4-2 defeat at El Sadar by hammering Deportivo Alaves by three goals to nil in the Basque Country with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski notching a first-half hat-trick for the Catalans in that match.
SEVILLA PREVIEW: STEADY SEVILLA
In each of the last two seasons, Sevilla have required three different permanent managers before eventually pulling themselves away from the bottom three and the relegation places. Garcia Pimienta will hope to break that recent record and run.
The former Las Palmas boss was given the job over the summer and the Andalusians did start slowly but have begun to turn things around and the visitors do come into this one on the back of a 1-0 defeat of Real Betis at El Gran Derbi.
BARCELONA TEAM NEWS: THE MATS ISSUE
Wojciech Szczesny has been signed as a free agent by Barcelona and he could make his debut this weekend following the severe injury suffered by Marc-Andre ter Stegen last month.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Hector Fort, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Alex Balde; Marc Casado, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ansu Fati; Lewandowski
UNAVAILABLE: Ter Stegen (Injured), Christensen (Injured), Ronald Araujo (Injured), Marc Bernal (Injured), Ferran Torres (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
SEVILLA TEAM NEWS: KEY ABSENTEES
Both Djibril Sow and Saul Niguez are out injured for Sevilla this weekend and they are also without French centre-back Tanguy Nianzou due to suspension.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Nyland; Jose Angel Carmona, Bade, Kike Salas, Adria Pedrosa; Agoume, Gudelj; Lukebakio, Gerard Fernandez, Ejuke; Isaac Romero
UNAVAILABLE: Nianzou (Suspended), Sow (Injured), Saul Niguez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BARCELONA VS SEVILLA PREDICTION
Barcelona do have a big game in the UEFA Champions League in midweek against Bayern Munich so they may well be distracted by that but they have been pretty much relentless, bar that anomalous performance against Osasuna, throughout the campaign. Sevilla will go and be stubborn in Catalonia with a much-improved defensive solidity but, despite that, Barca remain favourites in Catalonia.
BARCELONA VS SEVILLA TIP: BARCELONA TO WIN