La Liga: Barca Ready to Pile on the Pressure

Barcelona vs Real Betis

They’re top of La Liga right enough, but shouldn’t Barcelona be a little more clear of the pack than three points with big rivals Real Madrid out of sorts?

But three draws and a defeat from their 11 games mean the Champions haven’t yet pulled away. Los Blancos are seven points adrift, but there is a clutch of teams all within four points, one behind second-placed Espanyol.

Barca’s city neighbours have been the surprise package this season, but this is an opportunity for Ernesto Valverde’s team to extend their lead at the top of the table to at least four points with Espanyol visiting Sevilla as second playing third on Sunday.

The Catalans are hotly backed by La Liga 2018 odds to retain their crown, but Valverde will be keen for his stars to press on the peddle and increase the distance between them and their rivals. And Los Blancos’ big Champions League win against Plzen in midweek will not have gone unnoticed in Barcelona.

A home match against Real Betis should yield another three points as the visitors sit in 14^th, seven points adrift of third place and four clear of danger.

Talking Points

Is Messi ready to return?

Barcelona were in good spirits: they secured their place in the Champions League knockout phase with a fine draw against Inter Milan at the San Siro, which would have been a win but for Mauro Icardi’s late equaliser. But there was confusion before the game as Messi was first left out of the squad and then re-instated. Anyway, he did travel to Italy with his team-mates and looks like he could be somewhere near his recovery from a fractured arm.

The little genius is always the big La Liga 2018 news whether he’s in or out. And I can see Valverde carefully re-introducing his best player to league action, maybe from the bench on Sunday. There is no need to rush him back as results have gone well, with three league wins on the bounce taking the Catalans to the top.

Barca have a galaxy of talent to call upon. Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez, in particular, were in fine form in Milan. And the Uruguayan striker was on target twice last week as Barca won 3-2 away to Rayo Vallecano, shortly after scoring a hat-trick against Real Madrid the week before in a 5-1 thrashing of the beleaguered Los Blancos.

One headache for Valverde is that Philippe Coutinho could be out for up to three weeks after tearing a muscle in his left thigh. So that may influence his decision on Messi.

Betis not yet firing

Lionel Messi is in contention to start for Barcelona in La Liga game vs Betis — Betis players celebrate as Giovani Lo Celso scored his side’s 2nd goal in Europa League game vs AC Milan

Real Betis are a passionately supported club with over 40,000 fans regularly packing the Benito Villamarin Stadium in Seville to roar on their heroes. That won them an impressive sixth place last season, their best finish in 13 years.

So Quique Setien’s team is also embroiled in a Europa League campaign, in a tough group containing AC Milan. But they have taken four points from the Rossoneri, winning away and drawing the home fixture 1-1 earlier this week. Giovanni Lo Celso, on loan from Paris St Germain, has scored three goals in three Europa games; Setien would love the attacking midfielder to replicate that form in La Liga.

Like many teams in Europa action, the fixture chaos caused by Thursday matches may have impacted on Real Betis’ league form. The last league outing was a 3-3 draw at home to Celta Vigo where a late goal from Sergio Canales saved a point for Los Verdiblancos, but that was the first point in four games.

William Carvalho in midfield is an influential figure, his club form earning him a place in the Portugal national team. But I suspect keeper Pau Lopez Sabata could be the busiest man on Sunday.

History

Barca had won five on the bounce before the Champions League draw, so they can clearly cope without Messi when they need to.

Betis’ two wins in the last seven were both in cup competitions: one in the Europa League and the other a 1-0 victory over Santander in the Copa del Rey. But they are unbeaten in three, in all competitions, with back-to-back draws.

Barca have won 27 of the meetings between these two teams to Betis’ eight, and there have been nine draws. The hosts have a habit of spanking Betis, beating their opponents 0-5 away last season and 6-2 at the Camp Nou in 2016.