There is absolutely no doubt in the FC Barcelona camp that Real Betis will pose a significant threat. The team from the Benito Villamarin is one of Spain’s most devastating, and the Andalusians are often a frustrating opponent. However, for Xavi and Barcelona, regardless of the danger of Betis, a victory is expected.
The Catalan giants have no room for error left and one defeat could practically ruin their season. Already trailing behind Real Madrid and Girona, Barça no longer have any cushion in case they lose or drop points. For this reason, having his key players in the final squad was crucial for Xavi.
However, it seems that misfortune is a rather big specialty of Barça’s this season. As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Danish defender Andreas Christensen is now also lost to injury. Even in the last training session before the side’s journey to Seville, the Dane was nowhere to be found.
The last update provided by MD is that he trained by himself in the gym. Individual work is usually done by players just recovering from a physical problem, and it seems that the problems from the Unionistas clash continue to persist. As per the final squad list as well, the 27-year-old has indeed been left out.
He joins the likes of Marcos Alonso, Joao Cancelo, and Inigo Martinez as the defenders currently sidelined. Martinez has been out since the Barbastro clash, while Cancelo suffered his own problem against Las Palmas. At the moment, both remain in recovery, although Cancelo is expected to be back for the next game.
On the other hand, several youngsters have been included in the final squad. Marc Guiu, Hector Fort, Diego Kochen, Pau Cubarsi, and Ander Astralaga all are traveling with the team to Seville. With so many defensive injuries, Fort could potentially even start depending on Xavi’s idea for the game.