Barcelona will hope to get their first points on the board in La Liga on Sunday when they face Real Betis at the Nou Camp.
The Catalan giants suffered defeat in the first game of the season after falling to a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao last weekend.
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Lionel Messi was absent from that game due to a calf strain that he picked up in the latter stages of pre-season, and Barcelona confirmed on Saturday that he would also miss the Betis clash having been omitted from the squad.
Further, Luis Suarez will also miss out after suffering a setback of his own during that clash with Bilbao, and so the reigning La Liga champions will have to make do without two key figures in attack.
That will force coach Ernesto Valverde into a reshuffle in that department, with Rafinha and Carles Perez being tipped to get the nod on the flanks either side of Antoine Griezmann, as seen in the touted line-up below.
Time will tell if that’s what Valverde goes with but ultimately the Spanish tactician might not have too much of a choice in the matter with his options limited.
Barcelona allowed Philippe Coutinho to join Bayern Munich on loan this month, while Ousmane Dembele is also a long-term absentee due to injury.
In turn, Barca’s depth will be tested, and it may well be down to Griezmann to lead the way and prove his worth after his summer arrival from Atletico Madrid, especially with other key individuals ruled out.
Probable Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, De Jong; Rafinha, Griezmann, Perez. (via Sport).
