PBP: La Liga Santander - Jornada 28 - FC Barcelona v. Valencia - 19 March 2017

Quick match thread start before I go to bed, was thinking about a sunflower seeds for Paco joke but
really just want to see three points whether Paco or Gomes play or sit on the bench eating seeds (OK, hopefully the latter esp. for Gomes, have to respect that Paco came here when so many other forwards would not dare join MSN and thus much time on bench):

Where, back home at the clam:
When - errrrrr - I LIKE USING THIS GRAPHIC BUT THINK IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR RECENT USA TIME CHANGE, so I think it is actually 12:45 west coast and 3:45 east coast, but CHECK FOR YOURSELF if in America
Barcelona vs Valencia previous matches
11 Wins 7 4
2 Loses 2 0
6 Draws 0 6

• • 
    from unclesox last match thread post (and we got no extra YCs):
  Entering the match on four bookings: Messi, Piqué

Three yellows: Rakitic, Sergi Roberto
Upcoming Liga fixtures:
J29 (A) Granada
J30 (H) Sevilla

Nani, Santi Mina, and Rodrigo all expected out for them with injury whereas we are expected to miss Mathieu, and of course Vidal.

Match facts (from here: http://footyroom.com/matches/79924872/barcelona-vs-valencia/preview)

• Barcelona have only lost two of their last 19 league games against Valencia (W12 D5), both at the Camp Nou (1-2 in 2016 and 2-3 in 2014).
• In the last MD, Barca lost a La Liga game for the first time since October 2016 against Celta (4-3), this is after 19 games unbeaten (W14 D5).
• Luis Enrique's side has won their last six league games at the Camp Nou, scoring 4.1 goals per game.
• Lionel Messi has scored more goals against Diego Alves than versus any other goalkeeper in his career at Barcelona (19 - all competitions).
• Valencia have only won one of their last 10 La Liga away games (D3 L6), 2-0 against Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica.
• Luis Suárez has scored seven goals in his last five games against Valencia in all competitions, including his first four-goal haul for Barcelona.
• Valencia will be without attacking duo Santi Mina and Nani for Sunday's trip to Barcelona.

I'll post a prediction of squad and score later but mainly need a win with a strong squad so you know, grand once, just a question of 4-3-3 or 3-4-3, probably the former this time.

 

Other lineups predictions:
Sport:
Footyroom has a more traditional 4-3-3 like this:
MAtS; Roberto-Pique-Umtiti-Alba; Raki-Busi-Ini; M-S-N.

Both are variants on the grand once, as I said last night in the thread starter, I lean more towards a 4-3-3 (for this game, esp. as we have no 4th CB till Mathieu is healthy), and hope we don't see rotation given no midweek game, so I favor the latter, and that's my prediction as well.

We win 3-1

 

MAtS
Masch Pique Umtiti
--------Busi
Raki -------Ini
--------Messi
Rafi-S---N


Cancelo did not impress, did not beat Masch despite his speed and could not dribble and look up to see an open teammate ready for a pass centered squarely. Not Barca's RB (I hope) especially not at his price.