FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez will make four big lineup changes when his team hosts Mallorca in La Liga at the Montjuic Stadium.
The Catalans play a rare Friday night game at their home ground, with Tuesday’s must-win match there against Napoli in the Champions League on their minds.
Given the eight-point lead their bitter rivals Real Madrid have over them at the top of the table, each meeting in the Spanish top flight is also of paramount importance for Xavi Hernandez’s men.
By getting the victory before the weekend, they can put pressure on Los Blancos and Girona, in first and second respectively, ahead of their hosting Osasuna and Celta Vigo.
“We analysed Mallorca and we prepared well for the game. Now we have to talk on the pitch and that’s more difficult,” Xavi pointed out at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, where he also revealed that Pedri’s injury isn’t as serious as originally thought.
Xavi also wanted to congratulate the visitors on a “great season” that has seen them reach the Copa del Rey final.
“[Javier] Aguirre makes his teams work very well, he gets a lot out of them. They are solid … [and] are clear about what they are playing with a five-man defence.
“I imagine them defensive, [attacking] on the counter and taking advantage of the second balls,” Xavi said.
The manager also revealed that there will be some changes, though they are made “thinking about the player” more than the UCL last 16 second leg on Tuesday.
“Not because it’s the Champions League, but because of the fatigue and accumulation of minutes. We think about the player, about preserving [them]. We don’t have much to choose from in midfield, we only have Fermin [Lopez] and [Ilkay] Gundogan.
“We’ll have to reconvert players: Joao Felix, Ferran Torres, Raphinha… Also Sergi Roberto. We have options,” he argued.
Xavi’s captain against Mallorca will be goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, who is protected by a backline of Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, and Joao Cancelo.
Ronald Araujo is given a rest so that can Martinez can feature, after he didn’t get the nod against his former employers Athletic Club in last Sunday’s 0-0 draw.
In midfield, Andreas Christensen provides pivot support to Raphinha and Gundogan while a front line of Lamine, Marc Guiu and Joao Felix hunts for goals.
Guiu is playing at Robert Lewandowski’s expense, and January signing Vitor Roque might wonder what he has to do to get a start under Xavi.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Vs. Mallorca: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Martinez, Cubarsi, Cancelo; Christensen, Gundogan, Raphinha; Lamine, Guiu, Joao Felix.
