The big news in Barcaland this week is the ankle injury suffered by midfield maestro Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman and Manchester United transfer target is set for six weeks on the sidelines, leaving Xavi with a big hole to fill in the middle of the park.
The good news is that there are not any other fitness concerns at this time. Ronald Araujo has returned to full fitness, and Pedri is nearing that state as well. Although he’ll miss out on this clash.
FC Barcelona vs Sevilla FYIs
Kickoff: Fri. Sept. 29, 8pm, Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
FC Barcelona Preview Material: Starting XI Prediction Team News
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
LL Position, Form: FC Barcelona 3rd, 17 pts DWWWWW Sevilla, 12th, 7 pts, WDWLL
Google Result Probability: FC Barcelona 71% Draw 17% Sevilla 12%
Sevilla Team News
The same cannot be said for Barcelona’s opponents tomorrow night, Sevilla. Friday night is a great night for football, but the visitors will head to Catalonia rather short-handed. The following players: Marcao, Tanguy Nianzou, Alfonso Pastor, Oliver Torres, Mariano Diaz and Marcos Acuna are all set to miss out on this one.
So it is easy to see why Barca are heavily favored in this one.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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