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Barcelona have taken solace within the Champions League just lately whereas getting off to their worst begin to a La Liga season in virtually 20 years, leaving Ronald Koeman’s aspect already beneath severe strain earlier than Saturday’s assembly with Real Betis. The Catalans have taken simply eight factors from their first six matches in La Liga, failing to win any of their final 4 outings after drawing 1-1 away at 10-man Alaves within the Basque Country final outing. It is their worst begin since 2002/03, a marketing campaign by which they completed sixth, and they’re already 9 factors behind the leaders, Real Sociedad, albeit with two video games in hand.
Barca are additionally eight factors adrift of reigning champions Real Madrid they usually desperately want a end result at house to Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis with a visit to Atletico Madrid arising subsequent.
“The mood is better, there are new players, young players who are bringing dynamism to the group and the way we play,” insisted Gerard Pique after Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev, their third in three Champions League outings.
The emergence of the likes of Ansu Fati, who turned 18 final weekend, and fellow teenager Pedri does level to a brighter future, however Barca stay mired in disaster off the sector after the current resignation of president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
“The club right now is how it is,” Pique mentioned. “It’s in a process of many changes which are necessary. We needed to turn things around. It was obvious that we were in decline and every year we were a little worse.
“We do not have a lot time, however we want it to enhance. There’s by no means a transition 12 months at Barcelona, however now a brand new president and board will are available in and we’ll see modifications within the coming months.”
In the meantime Koeman will also be hoping for Lionel Messi to show something more like his old form against Betis, as the Argentine is still looking for his first goal in open play this season.
He has just one league goal so far, and leaving aside last season when he was injured at the beginning of the campaign, it is Messi’s own worst start in front of goal in La Liga since 2005. Back then he was an 18-year-old just breaking through.
Betis head to the Camp Nou in seventh place and their star man so far has been a former Barcelona player: Catalan-born winger Cristian Tello has four goals to his name including two in last week’s win over Elche.
Player to watch: Marc-Andre ter Stegen
After a shocking mistake by stand-in Neto gifted Alaves a goal last weekend, Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a welcome return between the posts for Barcelona against Dynamo Kiev.
The German was making his first appearance of the season after a knee injury and starred as Barca beat the Ukrainians 2-1. Koeman will hope for more of the same from his number one in the weeks ahead.
Key stats
100 – Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal for Real Madrid against Inter in the Champions League in midweek, 55 with his head according to sports statisticians Opta. He has been at the club since 2005.
4 – Lionel Messi has scored four goals this season, all of them from the penalty spot.
17 – At 17 years and 338 days, Yunus Musah became Valencia’s youngest goal-scorer in La Liga this century when he netted against Getafe last weekend. An England youth international, he was called up to the full United States squad this week.
22 – Atletico Madrid’s current run of 22 games unbeaten is their best ever run without losing in La Liga.
Fixtures (Kick-offs GMT):
Friday
Elche v Celta Vigo (2000)
Saturday
Huesca v Eibar (1300), Barcelona v Real Betis (1515), Sevilla v Osasuna (1730), Atletico Madrid v Cadiz (2000)
Promoted
Sunday
Getafe v Villarreal (1300), Real Sociedad v Granada (1515), Levante v Alaves, Valladolid v Athletic Bilbao (each 1730), Valencia v Real Madrid (2000)
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