FC Barcelona are reportedly pushing hard to make Jurgen Klopp their next manager, once the off-season arrives. That is the major storyline as the next La Liga fixture, a trip to Alaves, approaches. Klopp to the Catalan Club could make some sense, provided the German doesn’t take a sabbatical in June.
We listed Klopp as among the Eight Leading Candidates to Replace Xavi.
FC Barcelona vs Osasuna FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Jan. 27, 6:30 CET, Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gastiez, Spain
La Liga Standing, Form: Alaves 11th, 26 pts, WWWDL FC Barcelona 4th, 47 pts, WLWWW
Google Result Probability: Alaves 24% Draw 26% FC Barcelona 50%
And if you’re interested, here is our Six Potential Replacement Candidates for Klopp at Liverpool article too.
Barca Team News
As Xavi plays out the string the rest of the season he’s got some selection issues to deal with. Inigo Martinez (muscular problem) is the only player who is really touch and go here against Alaves.
The following eight players are all definitely ruled out here: Marcos Alonso (back), Gavi (knee), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back), Alejandro Balde (hamstring), Ferran Torres (knee), Joao Felix (ankle), Sergi Roberto (Achilles) and Raphinha (thigh).
So with all that said, and without further ado, let’s take a look at what first team Xavi might select here.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Prediction at Alaves
Inaki Pena; Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andres Christensen, Joao Cancelo; Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Fermin Lopez
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager 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’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.