Unfortunately for FC Barcelona, Ronald Araujo is injured again, but at least this time it’s much less serious. Araujo has an ankle sprain, which will keep him out for the next couple/few matches, starting with a visit from Rayo Vallecano.
He should be back in action by early-to-mid March sometime. Beyond that the injury situation remains unchanged, so other than Araujo, the selection situation is the same as usual for manager Hansi Flick.
FC Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano FYIs
Kickoff: Mon. Feb. 17, 8pm, Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
LL Position, Form: FC Barcelona 3rd, 48 pts LDWWW Rayo Vallecano 6th, 35 pts, LDWDD
Google Result Probability: FC Barcelona 80% Draw 12% Rayo Vallecano 8%
FC Barcelona Team News vs Rayo Vallecano
As has been the case for awhile, Andreas Christensen (foot muscle problem), Marc Bernal (cruciate ligament tear) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (knee ligament rupture) all remain sidelined here as long-term injury absentees.
So with that in mind, let’s do the stating lineup projection, which is pretty straight-forward at this point.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Prediction vs Rayo Vallecano
Wojciech Szczesny; Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Pedri; Gavi, Raphinha, Lamine Yamal; Robert Lewandowski
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, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. 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.