La Liga Preview: Barcelona - Numancia

Pep Guardiola was not happy with FC Barcelona's performance against Espanyol in the Copa del Rey in midweek and is keen to ease the pressure on his side ahead of the visit of Numancia on Saturday evening.

The pressure is not the same as it has been in the last two seasons however, because this term the Catalan club's supporters are not wondering if their team will win, but instead by how many goals will they be victorious by.

It is great sign for the new boss that expectations are so high as it means that he is doing a good job, but it also creates demands that have to be carefully dealt with.

Those demands this weekend are that the Blaugrana net a hatful against their modest visitors from Soria and Guardiola is unhappy that his side are expected to trounce every side they take on.

Numancia's wily coach, Sergio Kresic, who Guardiola stated he admires, will send his team out at Camp Nou to defend and while the difference in quality should tell, it will still be difficult for Barça to meet their fans appetite for a rout.

After winning promotion at the end of last season to spend what is only the third season in the top flight in their history, Los Pajaritos were tipped to make an immediate return to Segunda A.

The Only Team

The opening day proved that they were not going to pushovers as they became the only team, to date, to beat Barcelona this season in the league when Mario's early goal gave them victory.

Since then the Blaugrana have not lost for 18 consecutive matches and have netted 59 goals in 18 matches, bu Numancia have not being too badly on a  relative basis.

With predictions that they would be adrift at the foot of the table at the halfway mark and with only pride to play for, the fact that they have a five-point gap between them and the bottom three is exceeding expectations.

Six wins in 19 games is respectable in itself, while the 24 goals that they have netted are more than all of three clubs below them in the relegation zone.

Scoring in Camp Nou may represent a more difficult task, but Numancia will see this as a chance to impress more than a chance to record what would be the biggest surprise of the season so far.

RECENT FORM

FC Barcelona

21/01 A 0-0 Espanyol
17/01 H 5-0 Deportivo de La Coruña
14/01 H 2-1 Atlético de Madrid
11/01 A 3-2 Osasuna
06/01 A 3-1 Atlético de Madrid
03/01 H 3-1 Real Mallorca

CD Numancia

17/01 A 0-1 Sevilla
11/01 H 2-0 Getafe
04/01 A 1-3 Recreativo
21/12 H 4-3 Real Valladolid
14/12 A 0-2 Málaga
07/12 H 2-1 Almería

TEAM NEWS

FC Barcelona

Rafa Márquez is the only definite absentee, apart from Gaby Milito who is out long-term, while Seydou Keita was back in training after recovering from the knock that he received against Espanyol in midweek.

Probable Starting XI: Valdés, Alves, Abidal, Puyol, Piqué, Touré, Keita, Xavi, Messi, Henry, Eto'o

CD Numancia

Boris and Sergio Ortega are both available to Kresic and they will form the central defensive partnership with Dimas and Nagoré offering protection in front of them. Goiria will operate as the lone striker up front.

Probable Starting XI: J. Pablo, Juanra, Bellvis, Boris, S.Ortega, Dimas, Nagoré, Pino, Brit, Barkero, Goiria

PREDICTION

The expectations for Barça to score quite a few goals are not unreasonable, but Guardiola is right to guard against those demands. The reason that he should be flattered is because the Blaugrana fans think that their team is capable of doing it rather than just because they are disrespectful towards Numancia.

Barcelona 3 - 0 Numancia

--Lucas Brown, Goal.com

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