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Played
February 19, 2012 3:30 PM EST
Camp Nou — Barcelona
Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez
Attendance: 74240
February 19, 2012 3:30 PM EST
Camp Nou — Barcelona
Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez
Attendance: 74240
La Liga Preview: Barcelona - Valencia
The Catalan giants aim to bounce back from their second league defeat of the season as they prepare for a tricky home fixture against Unai Emery's side
By Karthick Arvinth
Getty
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PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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BARCELONA
 Valdes Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Adriano Fabregas, Busquets, Iniesta Sanchez, Messi, Pedro |
VALENCIA
 Guaita Miguel, Rami, Dealbert, Mathieu Albelda, Banega Feghouli, Jonas, Piatti Soldado |
Barcelona playmaker Xavi Hernandez is suffering from a calf problem and is unlikely to start Sunday's Primera Division clash with Valencia.
Sergio Busquets is expected to feature, having completed the full 90 minutes in the midweek Champions League win at Bayer Leverkusen, while Javier Mascherano and Dani Alves are both suspended.
Also expected to start is defender Gerard Pique, who was left out of the team to play Leverkusen for "technical reasons".
Mali midfielder Seydou Keita has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ibrahim Afellay has started training again following a serious knee injury that sidelined him for most of the season.
Valencia boss Unai Emery is set to welcome back David Albelda, Ever Banega and Roberto Soldado to the starting lineup, after the trio were rested on the bench for the Europa League victory at Stoke City.
Winger Jordi Alba (flu) is a doubt for the Camp Nou clash, while Sergio Canales and Antonio Barragan are also out.
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DID YOU KNOW? |
- Barcelona has won 10 and drawn one of its league fixtures at Camp Nou in the current campaign, scoring 45 goals and conceding just three in those matches.
- The Catalan giants have not lost a competitive match at Camp Nou since a 2-0 league defeat to Hercules in September 2010.
- With 23 goals to his name, Barcelona's Lionel Messi (pictured) is the second-highest scorer in the Primera Division this season, four behind Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Valencia is on a five-game winless streak away from home in the league.
- The coastal club is yet to record a win over Barcelona under Unai Emery.
- Jordi Alba, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona, was signed by Valencia for 6,000 euros from fourth-tier outfit Cornella in 2007.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Barcelona 3-1 Valencia
- 16.35 %
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Barcelona 1-2 Valencia
- 15.87 %
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Barcelona 3-0 Valencia
- 11.63 %
| La Liga (LIGA) | Feb 19, 2012 | Barcelona 5 - Valencia 1 |
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| Copa del Rey (ESPC) | Feb 8, 2012 | Barcelona 2 - Valencia 0 |
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| Copa del Rey (ESPC) | Feb 1, 2012 | Valencia 1 - Barcelona 1 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Sep 21, 2011 | Valencia 2 - Barcelona 2 |
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| La Liga (LIGA) | Mar 2, 2011 | Valencia 0 - Barcelona 1 |
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Barcelona
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| May 25, 2012 | Athletic Bilbao 0 - Barcelona 3 | ESPC |
| May 12, 2012 | Betis 2 - Barcelona 2 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2012 | Barcelona 4 - Espanyol 0 | LIGA |
| May 2, 2012 | Barcelona 4 - Malaga 1 | LIGA |
| Apr 29, 2012 | Rayo Vallecano 0 - Barcelona 7 | LIGA |
Valencia
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| May 12, 2012 | Real Sociedad 1 - Valencia 0 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2012 | Valencia 1 - Villarreal 0 | LIGA |
| May 2, 2012 | Valencia 4 - Osasuna 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 29, 2012 | Malaga 1 - Valencia 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 26, 2012 | Valencia 0 - Atletico Madrid 1 | EL |
| 1 | Víctor Valdés | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Gerard Piqué | Defender |
| 5 | Carles Puyol | Defender |
| 22 | Éric Abidal | Defender |
| 35 | Martin Montoya Torralbo | Defender |
| 4 | Cesc Fàbregas | Midfielder |
| 8 | Andrés Iniesta Luján | Midfielder |
| 16 | Sergio Busquets Burgos | Midfielder |
| 9 | Alexis Sánchez | Striker |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Striker |
| 17 | Pedro | Striker |
| 13 | José Pinto Colorado | Goalkeeper |
| 21 | Adriano | Midfielder |
| 32 | Marc Bartra Aregall | Defender |
| 6 | Xavi | Midfielder |
| 11 | Thiago Alcántara | Midfielder |
| - | Joan Isaac Cuenca Lopez | Striker |
| 37 | Tello | Striker |
| 1 | Diego Alves | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Adil Rami | Defender |
| 18 | Víctor Ruiz | Defender |
| 22 | Jérémy Mathieu | Defender |
| 23 | Miguel Brito | Defender |
| 6 | Albelda | Midfielder |
| 8 | Sofiane Feghouli | Midfielder |
| 24 | Tino Costa | Midfielder |
| 7 | Jonas | Striker |
| 9 | Roberto Soldado | Striker |
| 14 | Pablo Piatti | Striker |
| 13 | Guaita | Goalkeeper |
| 20 | Ricardo Costa | Defender |
| 17 | Jordi Alba | Midfielder |
| 5 | Mehmet Topal | Midfielder |
| 19 | Pablo Hernández | Midfielder |
| 28 | Juan Bernat | Midfielder |
| 11 | Aritz Aduriz Zubeldia | Striker |
Results
Times In EST
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lionel Messi
Striker Barcelona |
50 | 10 |
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
46 | 12 |
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Radamel Falcao
Striker Atlético de Madrid |
24 | 5 |
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Gonzalo Higuaín
Striker Real Madrid |
22 | 0 |
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Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
21 | 0 |