Barcelona will resume their pursuit of the La Liga title later today when they face off against Elche away at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
The Catalans have opened up a 12-point lead at the top of the table after their 2-1 win over arch-rivals and title holders Real Madrid just before the international break.
With Los Blancos scheduled to play on Sunday, Barcelona have an excellent chance of widening the gap between the two teams to 15 points.
Barça are going into the game with several injury issues as Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Andreas Christensen, and Frenkie de Jong are all unavailable for selection. On top of that, Raphinha is also missing due to suspension for the accumulation of yellow cards.
Given the crucial juncture of the season, it is important that the La Liga leaders have all players available as they look to seal the title triumph.
And, to that end, two Barcelona players will have to be cautious on the pitch today as they could risk missing the next La Liga game against Girona due to suspension.
The two stars in question are midfielder Franck Kessie and forward Ferran Torres. The Barça pair are both on four yellow cards already and one more booking against Elche would rule them out of the contest against Girona.
Given that Pedri is already sidelined and De Jong is recovering injury as well, Kessie has become an important cog in Xavi’s setup and it is important that the midfielder does not rule himself out of contention for the Catalan derby.
As for Ferran, the winger has not been a regular in Xavi’s plans, but could get a run of games now amidst Dembele’s injury woes and Ansu Fati’s poor form. So, it will be important for him to keep himself available and look to make the most of any opportunity that comes his way.
