Xavi Hernandez has announced his squad for Sunday evening’s showdown clash with Atletico Madrid at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Barcelona see this match as a must-win, so that they can keep pace with Real Madrid and Girona at the top of the La Liga table.
As expected, Gavi and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen are out for the match after respective knee and back injuries, while another absentee is Marcos Alonso. The veteran defender was expected to be included, but he suffered with discomfort during Saturday’s training session (as per Sport), and has subsequently been ruled out of contention.
Alonso’s absence is a very small blow for Xavi, as he would not have played against Atleti unless for an injury to Alejandro Balde and/or Joao Cancelo. The 32-year-old has been a bit part player for Barcelona so far this season, and has been linked with leaving in January, although it does appear at this stage that he will stay until next summer, after which he will depart as a free agent.