Luis Enrique stated at the club’s Sant Joan Despí training ground that his side face a “packed and intense” schedule in the coming weeks. The Spaniard had good reason to employ each adjective, given that a testing period awaits in terms of fixture congestion and quality of the opposition in which ‘Los Azulgranas’ will have to perform at their best if they are to emerge unscathed. Barcelona face a total of nine matches in La Liga and the Copa del Rey before the Champions League resumes in late February.
Barça’s next four home matches in La Liga are all against top-half opposition with Athletic Bilbao kicking off the tricky run on Sunday. Two weeks later will see Atlético visit the Camp Nou in what is likely to be a pivotal clash in the title race, with Simeone’s side currently two points clear at the top having played a game more.
Celta Vigo will be the next team to travel to Catalunya to pit their wits against Luis Enrique’s side and will no doubt be buoyed by their remarkable 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture back in September. That thrashing and the subsequent defeat at the Sánchez Pizjuán were part of the team’s worst run of the season so far. The club’s current aim is to avenge those defeats during a period in which the home crowd will expect maximum points despite stiff opposition with Sevilla completing the troublesome quartet.
Bron: Marca
