PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Osasuna

It has been a turbulent few days at FC Barcelona, with a 5-3 defeat at home to Villarreal supposing a major setback in the league title challenge and then coach Xavi Hernandez announcing that he is going to be standing down from the position at the end of the season.

On Wednesday, it's time to go back out onto the pitch and start getting things back on the right course with a home fixture against Osasuna. It's a match that was originally scheduled to be played earlier this month, but both teams were away in Saudi Arabia that weekend playing in the Spanish Super Cup, where they played each other in the semi-final.

The visitors will be looking to avenge a 2-0 defeat that day, the goals scored by Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, as well as the their 2-1 defeat at El Sadar in the league, when Lewandowski saved the loss of two points with a late penalty, Barça winning that one 2-1.

The game is an early 7pm start at the Estadi Olimpic, and as usual, we have all the info to find the game on a screen near you right here.

How it stands

There was already a gap between Barça and the top two going into last weekend's schedule, and the situation is now considerably worse after both Girona and Real Madrid picked up wins away from home n their own games.

Leaders Girona are now 11 points clear of Barça, although Real Madrid will go back to the top if they win their game in hand away to Getafe on Thursday.

There is no reason to believe that Barça can't cut down the points difference between themselves and the top two, but there is the additional matter of ensuring a Champions League place next season. Atlético Madrid have squeezed above Barça into third and have a game in hand of their own to play this Wednesday (at 9pm CET, straight After the Barça v Osasuna match, at home to Rayo Vallecano), while Athletic Club are lurking just two points below the top four.

Team news

Matters or not helped at all by the pile-up of injuries. As if Xavi didn't have enough headaches with all of Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Marcos Alonso, Marc-André ter Stegen, Iñigo Martínez, Raphinha and Sergi Roberto unavailable, João Félix sprained ligaments in his right knee in training on Tuesday and is hence out as well. Marc Guiu, who has been named in recent squads, also misses out after going down with a fever.

But Andreas Christensen has been battling hard with his own fitness troubles and will hopefully be good to play in this one after being included in the squad announced on the morning of the match:

All of Robert Lewandowski, Oriol Romeu, João Cancelo and Ronald Araujo are on four yellows and would miss Saturday's trip to Alavés if they get booked again.

Osasuna in mid-table

In contrast, Osasuna have only one major injury to contend with, that of Argentine striker Chimy Avila, who is reportedly on the verge of recovery, but probably not in time for this one.

After finishing seventh last season, the side from Navarra have spent most of this one in the middle of the table, well clear of the relegation zone but nowhere near the European places either. With three wins in their last four league outings, and just one defeat in their last seven, they have hit their best form of the campaign so far, and seeing them off in the Super Cup Final twenty days ago was anything but an easy mission for Barça.

Xavi says

"Osasuna are rock solid defensively, they play direct football and work well together. It will be tough because they are a team with great spirit" said the coach in his pre-game conference, where he was naturally asked a lot of questions about his and the team's future following the vents on Saturday.

"The reaction of the players should be what it needs to be on the field because we depend on them becoming inspired" he said. "There is a lot at stake, do our best in the league and compete in the Champions League. I am still excited, I feel free. I will give a bit extra so it works."