Leganes vs Barcelona: Preview, Prediction & Lineups
Barcelona vs Leganes: La Liga Preview
Barcelona will look to increase their lead at the top of La Liga when they host CD Leganes at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Saturday night.
CD Leganes
Leganes are 18th in La Liga with 28 points from 30 matches. Los Pepineros are fighting to avoid relegation, two points behind 17th-placed Deportivo Alaves. But they have been in a bad run, four matches without a win. They will try to cause an upset against Barcelona but they have a tough task ahead of them.
Leganes will be without Enric Franquesa due to a knee injury, but Oscar Rodriguez returns from suspension. They will line up in a 3-4-3 with Marko Dmitrovic in goal and Dani Raba as the striker.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Dmitrovic; Gonzalez, Nastasic, Tapia; Rosier, Cisse, Neyou, Javi Hernandez; Cruz, Raba, Diego Garcia.
Barcelona
Barcelona are top of La Liga with 67 points from 30 matches. After the 1-1 draw against Real Betis, they bounced back with a 4-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. A win against Leganes will put them seven points ahead of Real Madrid who play on Sunday.
Barcelona will be without Dani Olmo, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Hansi Flick may rest Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and Ronald Araujo. They will line up in a 4-2-3-1 with Wojciech Szczesny in goal and Ferran Torres as the striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Araujo, Balde; de Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Torres.
Key Stats
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Leganes recorded a famous 1-0 win in the reverse fixture.
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Barcelona have won eight of the last 11 meetings between the two teams.
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Hansi Flick’s side have scored 83 goals in 30 league games this season, the most in the league.
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Leganes last won a league game at the start of March (1-0 vs Getafe).
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The last time Barcelona played at Leganes, they won 2-1 back in 2019.
Player to Watch: Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong has become a key player for Barcelona under Hansi Flick. His ability to contribute both defensively and offensively makes him invaluable to the team.
Leganes vs Barcelona Prediction
Despite Leganes’s need for points in their fight for survival, Barcelona’s superior quality and attacking prowess should lead them to a comfortable victory.
Leganes 0-3 Barcelona
Leganes vs Barcelona Live Stream
Watch online via NaijaSport247