Barcelona Faces Home Game Challenges with Injuries and Stadium Issues
Barcelona approaches its first home game in La Liga missing a few injured players — and a proper stadium.
Among a few off-field problems for unbeaten Barcelona, the biggest is its inability to get the newly renovated Camp Nou stadium reopened.
The permits to return to the Camp Nou have not been approved, so the Catalan club will play its first Spanish league home game at a 6,000-seat venue, about 99,000 less than the refurbished Camp Now offers.
On Sunday when it meets Valencia, Barcelona will use Estadi Johan Cruyff, which typically hosts the Barcelona women’s team and the men’s reserve and youth squads.
Coach Hansi Flick also won’t be able to count on players nursing injuries such as Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde and Gavi. De Jong’s setback came while playing with the Netherlands during the international break.
Key matchups Real Madrid, winner of its first three matches, on Saturday visits a Real Sociedad squad that is winless.
The Basque Country club opened with consecutive draws against Valencia and Espanyol and lost at promoted Oviedo. Madrid routed Oviedo on the road and picked up victories against Osasuna and Mallorca.
Athletic Bilbao, the only other team to open the season with three straight victories, hosts Alaves on Saturday. Athletic has beaten Real Betis, Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano.
Atletico Madrid, off to an unusually slow start after draws against Alaves and Elche and a loss to Espanyol, will try and earn its first victory when it hosts third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.
Players to watch Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé was last season’s top league scorer and already leads again this season with three from three matches. Two others have three; Getafe’s Adrián Liso and Villarreal’s Tajon Buchanan.
