Eibar vs Barcelona
Spain – LaLiga
Date: Saturday, 19 October 2019
Kick-off at 12:00 UK/ 13:00 CET
Venue: Estadio Municipal de Ipurua (Eibar)
Match PreviewBarcelona has returned to form after a shaky start to the season which saw them lose two and draw one of their opening five league games.
Blaugrana now have won each of their last four matches in all competitions, and talisman Lionel Messi is fit and firing again.
Ernesto Valverde trailing side still unbeaten La Liga leaders and bitter rivals Real Madrid by two points, however, as they look to recover from their points down early.
This recent hot streak in front of goal Luis Suarez has been a huge boost for the Catalan giants, with Uruguay hit four goals in his last three games in all competitions.
Former Liverpool player all-round performances have dropped in the last season or so, but he remained a prolific scorer and has produced some top-quality attack in recent games.
Antoine Griezmann will be hoping to pick up some own goals in order to have a chance to displace Suarez up front, having managed just three goals himself since arriving from Atletico Madrid in the summer.
Eibar experienced a difficult start to the campaign but has come into some form recently, going unbeaten in their last four games and took two of their first win this season.
They missed out on the chance to get away from the relegation zone against Betis last time, however, draw with struggling clothing and Gonzalo Escalante has sent the final minute as well.
Eibar form: DLDWWD
Barcelona form: DLWWWW
key stats
No other side has won more league games against Eibar from Barcelona (nine, level with Atletico Madrid). In addition, the champion is the team with the most goals scored against them in the top flight (33).
Eibar has won their last two home matches of La Liga - the last time they won three or more consecutive games in Ipurua it in December 2017 (4).
In their last eight away matches of La Liga, Barcelona has alternated between scoring two goals and failed to score at all. They scored two goals against Getafe in their last match on the road.
Barcelona superstar Luis Suarez has scored in each of his last six La Liga games against Eibar, netting nine goals in total and helped three.
Eibar manager Jose Luis Mendilibar only won one of 21 games against Barcelona in all competitions (D2 L18) - a 3-2 win in La Liga in February 2012 when he was the manager at Osasuna.
Head to results Head (H2H)
History is not on the side Eibar in this fixture, with Barca winning nine of their 10 meetings and drawing the other game - despite the 2-2 draw did come in their last meeting on the final day of last season.
PREDICTION
I was fascinated by how the delay affects the mindset Barça Clásico in this one. Now that they can not take first place next week, they should go to the "do not lose points dumb" mode, and this sort of game for them: Barca 3-1.
