PREVIEW: Leganés v FC Barcelona

Saturday’s game has a real David v Goliath feel about it, as top-of-the-table Barça head to Butarque to play a Leganés side that are rooted to the bottom of La Liga. The three points are vital for either side, but for entirely different reasons.

How to follow the game live

The match kicks off at 1.00pm CET. A list of broadcasters can be found here and these are the timetables for the rest of the world.

The Opponent

Stadium: Estadio Municipal de Butarque
Coach: Javier Aguirre
La Liga Record (2019/20): P13 W1 D3 L9 F7 A22
Former Blaugranas in the squad: José Arnaiz, Rodrigo Tarín, Marc Navarro

Current Form

Leganes #20 - D L L W L
Barcelona #1 - W L W W W

Stats and facts

Since Leganés’ debut in La Liga in the 2016/17 season, Lionel Messi has scored 115 goals - one more than the side from Madrid.

New Leganés’ coach, Javier Aguirre, has lost in six of his last seven games against FC Barcelona in La Liga, with his teams failing to score in the last six. The Mexican has lost more games (13) as a La Liga coach against the Catalans than any other side.

Barça have lost just one of their last 19 La Liga away games against sides from Madrid (W15 D3 L1). That defeat (2-1) was against Leganés in their last match at Butarque - September 2018.

Barça have won three of their last 11 away games in all competitions (W3 D3 L5), but all three have come this season (two in La Liga and one in the Champions League.

Leganés have lost five of their six league games against Barça, the Blaugranes have scored the most away goals against them in the top flight (9), and Ernesto Valverde’s side could become the first team to beat them three times at Butarque in La Liga.

Last time we met

Leganés arrived at the Camp Nou in mid-January this year, and though Ousmane Dembélé put the hosts into a deserved 32nd-minute lead, Martin Braithwaite equalised just before the hour.

Luis Suárez restored the advantage for Barça on 71, but it wasn’t until Leo Messi’s injury-time third that the game was safe. 

The squad

 Ivan Rakitic was given the all clear to be named in the squad but Clément Lenglet was ruled with a calf injury picked up on international duty with France. Arthur is left out, whilst N. Semedo and Jordi Alba are also missing due to injury and Sergi Roberto is suspended. 

The list is thus as follows:

Ter Stegen, Piqué, I. Rakitic, Sergio, Todibo, Suárez, Messi, O. Dembélé, Neto, M. Wague, Griezmann, Aleñá, F. De Jong, Vidal, Umtiti, Junior, C. Pérez, Ansu Fati, R. Araujo and Morer.