Barcelona take on relegation-threatened Villarreal on Tuesday, and they will be hoping Lionel Messi can propel them to another three points.
The Argentine superstar guided Ernesto Valverde's side to an expected victory over Espanyol at the weekend, with his brace enough to secure a 2-0 victory over their Catalan rivals .
With a difficult and important encounter against Atletico Madrid coming up on Saturday, it is important Barcelona maintain their momentum here with a victory over Villarreal to remain top of La Liga.
Javier Calleja's side have won four of their last five fixtures in all competitions, and a competitive match is expected between these two sides despite Villarreal's 17th position in league perhaps suggesting the opposite on paper.
| Game | Villarreal vs Barcelona |
| Date | Tuesday, April 2 |
| Time | 8.30pm BST / 3.30pm ET |
| Stream (US) | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| beIN SPORTS | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will be available on free-to-air televsion with ITV while it can also be followed online with Eleven Sports.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| ITV 4 | Eleven Sports 1 |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Villarreal players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Asenjo, Fernandez |
| Defenders | Laylun, Alvaro, Mori, Ruiz, Costa |
| Midfielders | Caseres, Fornals, Trigueros, Pedraza, Cazorla, Raba, Morlanes, Chukwueze, Fuego |
| Forwards | Gerard, Bacca, Ekambi |
Villarreal are without a host of players, including Bruno Soriano, Manu Trigueros and Miguelon, as well as Gerard Moreno and Jaume Costa.
However, they welcome back Ramiro Funes Mori, who should help add some defensive stability to a side which as struggled for clean sheets at times this season.
Villarreal XI: Asenjo, Mario, Víctor Ruiz, Alvaro, Funes Mori, Cazorla, Iborra, Morlanes, Pedraza;,Toko Ekambi, Chukwueze
| Position | Barcelona players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Ter Stegen, Pena |
| Defenders | Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba, Miranda, Chumi, Murillo, Todibo |
| Midfielders | Rakitic, Busquets, Coutinho, Vidal, Alena, Boateng, Arthur |
| Forwards | Messi, Dembele, Malcom, Suarez |
There have been no new fitness concerns for the league leaders since their victory over Espanyol, so a similar line-up is to be expected from the one that beat Espanyol.
Ousmane Dembele remains the notable absentees from Ernesto Valverde's squad, while Lionel Messi also does not start.
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Roberto, Lenglet, Umtiti, Alba, Vidal, Busquets, Arthur, Malcom, Suarez, Coutinho
Betting & Match Odds
Barcelona are the odds-on favourites at 8/13 with bet365 . Villarreal are at 17/4 while a draw is priced at 16/5.
Match Preview
Getty Images
Lionel Messi will undoubtedly be attracting all the attention again at the Estadio de la Ceramica as he looks to continue his superb goal-scoring form for his club.
His brace last time out against Espanyol pushed his tally up to eight goals in his last four starts for the Catalan club, while he also assisted three more in those games.
He is in a superb run of form that has even called on the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, to insist he's not actually "God" .
“It's expressions that people use," he said. "This is a god with the ball on the pitch. It's a popular way that people have of expressing themselves.
“Of course, it is a joy [to watch Messi play]. But he is not God.”
Villarreal, meanwhile, are looking at the possibility of relegation this season with just a point separating themselves between Celta Vigo in the bottom three.
Javi Calleja's side suffered a devastating defeat to Celta on Saturday to reduce the gap between the two sides, so a victory over the league leaders would be huge result.
Villarreal are still hindered by injuries, but the return of Ramiro Funes Mori from suspension should help shore up the defence in their quest to stop a thriving Barcelona attack.
And Calleja, who will be taking charge of his 13th game on Tuesday since his return in January, is hoping his team display their true capabilities straight from the kick off.
"We have to be brave, if we play with fear, we will regret it," Calleja said. "If we are afraid, they will be more comfortable, and if they are comfortable, it will be very complicated.
:We have to put pressure on them, bother them and manage the ball well. Try to make them uncomfortable and not get the best version. "
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