The coronavirus pandemic has led Spanish league officials to cram La Liga fixtures together in order to get the season finished, so the 2020-21 campaign can begin in good time. And Barcelona will play their second match in four days.
Defending champions Barcelona face Sevilla on Saturday for their toughest assignment since La Liga returned, with Lionel Messi, who has been hailed as a "chosen one" by coach Quique Setien, bidding to score his 700th career goal. The Argentinian reached the 699-mark when he converted a penalty against Leganes on Wednesday.
Setien, a former Real Betis boss, will avoid a hostile welcome back to the city of Seville given that games in Spain continue to be played behind closed doors. And even if that means there is barely anyone inside the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, Setien would love to see Messi reach his milestone in Andalusia.
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Saturday's match pits leaders Barcelona against third-placed opposition, who got La Liga up and running with a 2-0 derby victory over Betis last week before stumbling slightly with a 1-1 draw against Levante. Julen Lopetegui's side is now unbeaten in their last six league matches.
Barcelona have returned with a 4-0 win at Real Mallorca followed by a 2-0 victory over Leganes at Camp Nou, keeping a grip on the top spot, ahead of Real Madrid.
Barcelona will be without the injured Samuel Umtiti, Sergi Roberto and Frenkie de Jong for Saturday' match, but Jordi Alba is available after serving a one-game suspension.
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But Sevilla squad is in excellent shape at the moment. Lopetegui has no serious fitness concerns ahead of the clash.
Having said that, Sevilla have failed to win each of their last eight meetings with Barcelona in La Liga (W7 D1). Their last win came in October 2015.
Here's how you can watch La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona live:
When is La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona?
La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2020 (Saturday).
Where is La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona being played?
La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona will be played at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
What is the kick-off time of La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona?
The kick-off time of La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona is 01.30 AM IST.
How to watch La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona?
La Liga match between Sevilla and Barcelona will not be broadcast on television in India, but it can be streamed live on Facebook. Visit Facebook pages of La Liga, and respective clubs to watch the match live.
Likely XIs:
Sevilla: Vaclik; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Escudero; Banega, Fernando, Jordan; Ocampos, De Jong, Munir
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal, Busquets, De Jong; Braithwaite, Griezmann, Messi
