FC Barcelona have suffered their first loss of the young season, falling 2-1 at AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League group stage. However, they need to have a short memory, as there is a fast turnaround, with a trip to Villarreal coming on Sunday. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is coming close to a return, as he’s nearing the final stages of recovery from his ankle injury.
We’re predicting that he does not feature on Sunday however, and that his return comes the following fixture against Getafe.
FC Barcelona at Villarreal FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Sept 15 4:15 CET, El Madrigal, Villarreal, Spain
Barca Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
La Liga Standing, Form: Girona 5th, 7 pts, DLWW FC Barcelona 1st, 15 pts, WWWWW
Google Result Probability: Villarreal 25% Draw 23% FC Barcelona 52%
FC Barcelona Team News
De Jong is the only injury absentee nearing a return to action, but you do have a few that are not too far off.
Gavi (ACL), Dani Olmo (biceps) and Fermin Lopez (thigh muscle) should all be back at it within the next three-four weeks. And of course, the long-term injury absentees remain out.
And of course, Ferran Torres suspended here, for having drawn red in the Catalan derby.,
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.