Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez could not prevent Barcelona from falling to defeat at Sevilla Reuters

Barcelona will hope to return to winning ways when they host Rayo Vallecano at the Nou Camp on 17 October.

Where to Watch Live

Kick-off is set for 7.30pm BST. The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2 HD.

Overview

Barcelona come into this clash having suffered two defeats in their last three La Liga outings, including a shock 2-1 reverse at Sevilla last time out. Injuries to Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta have robbed the Catalans of much of their potency, and they can ill afford to drop points against Rayo Vallecano and fall further behind their rivals in the La Liga standings.

Luis Suarez is expected to start against Rayo after recovering from a muscular injury while Thomas Vermaelen (calf) could also feature. Rafinha remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Rayo Vallecano have fallen to defeats in their last two matches in La Liga and find themselves precariously close to the relegation zone at 15th. The capital outfit have lost their last nine encounters against Barcelona, with their last victory over the Catalans coming way back in 2002.

Goalkeeper Pablo Cobeno and midfielder Pablo Hernadez are both out injured for Rayo, while defender Antonio Amaya is suspended.

What Managers Say

Luis Enrique: "A lot of players have accumulated a lot of minutes' playing time [during the international break]. I'll try to find a moment when they can get some rest, but right now I can't see it happening. We haven't got a great deal of margin. I would have liked them to have returned fully rested but that wasn't the case. It's a question of managing the workload and bringing in players who don't feature regularly."

Paco Jemez: "Barca can be beaten and Sevilla and Celta [Vigo] already proved this - we are going there determined to bring home three points. Messi and Iniesta are irreplaceable. Injuries affect any team but at least Barca can bring out a very competitive starting XI."

Form Guide

  • Barcelona (all competitions): LWWLW
  • Last result: Sevilla 2-1 Barcelona
  • Rayo Vallecano: LLWWL
  • Last result: Rayo Vallecano 0-2 Real Betis

Betting odds (888sport)

  • Barcelona win: 1/8
  • Draw: 43/5
  • Rayo Vallecano win: 18

Team news

Barcelona possible XI: Bravo; Alves, Pique, Vermaelen, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Roberto; Munir, Suarez, Neymar

Rayo Vallecano possible XI: Tono; Nacho, Llorente, Ze Castro, Rat; Baena, Trashorras; Bebe, Jozabed, Embarba; Guerra