Barcelona vs Sevilla: 5 key battles to watch out for | La Liga 2020-21
Barcelona are back in La Liga action on Sunday, as the Catalans host Sevilla at the Camp Nou what already has the feel of a crucial game for Barcelona.
New coach Ronald Koeman has overseen two wins in his first two competitive games in charge. A third straight win is sure to further lift the mood around the Catalan club, who have been through crisis after crisis over the summer.
Sevilla have also won both their league games so far, having also, like Barcelona, started their league campaign later than most of the other teams. The defending Europa League champions beat Levante 1-0 in their last game, the same scoreline by which Barcelona got past Celta Vigo.
With Clement Lenglet suspended after being sent off in their last game, Barcelona might have trouble in the centre-back position. Ronaldo Araujo impressed against Celta, and should start this game.
We take a look at five key individual battles that will decide the outcome of this game.
#5 Frenkie de Jong vs Joan Jordan
In the absence of the now-departed Ever Banega, there is more responsibility on Jordan's shoulders to create from midfield for Sevilla.
He's got a tireless engine, and great technical ability, which makes him difficult to contain for oppositions. However, since Koeman's arrival, Frenkie de Jong has played in a much more natural deeper role in midfield.
De Jong has slotted alongside Sergio Busquets in a double pivot in front of the Barcelona defence. So, this is a battle that Jordan will have to have the better of, if Sevilla want to take home a result from the Nou Camp.
For De Jong, he has shown promising signs already of linking up well with Philippe Coutinho in midfield, along with Busquets as well. His role of ensuring that Barcelona set the right tempo and that the passing is crisp and quick enough, is a big role in the system that Koeman is trying to play.
#4 Ansu Fati v Jesus Navas
This is a straightforward head-to-head battle to look forward to. Ansu Fati has already scored three La Liga goals in two games this season, and is already shaping up to be one of Koeman's most important players in the squad.
Fati has found an understanding with both Coutinho and Griezmann, and is giving Koeman an option to end the team's over-dependence on the talismanic Lionel Messi.
Now, Navas has been playing at right-back for more than a year now, but the fact still remains that he isn't natural in that position. The pace and dribbling ability that Fati has, needs to be contained, and Navas might not find it to be the easiest game for him.
He needs help from the winger in front him, or maybe even the defensive midfielder, which is likely to be Fernando.