Barcelona will be looking to make it five La Liga victories in a row when they continue their domestic campaign at home to an out-of-form Elche side on Saturday afternoon.
The Catalan outfit are currently second in the table, two points behind the leaders Real Madrid, while Elche are down in 19th, having only picked up one point from their first five games of the season.
Since being held to a goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano on the opening weekend of the new campaign, Barcelona have been in brilliant form in La Liga, recording four straight wins, scoring 15 times in the process and conceding just once.
A 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on August 21 was followed by a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid, while they have also beaten Sevilla 3-0 and Cadiz 4-0 in their last two league games, which were both away from home.
Barcelona have picked up 13 points from their opening five matches of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign, which has left them in second spot in the table, two points behind Real Madrid, who have made a 100% start.
Xavi’s side will enter this match off the back of a defeat, though, having suffered a 2-0 reverse to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday night; it was a largely even game in Munich, but the home side scored twice early in the second half through Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane to secure the win.
Barcelona will be determined to enter the international break off the back of a positive result, and they have been victorious in their last six La Liga games with Elche, including a 3-2 success at Camp Nou last term.Elche are currently in their third straight La Liga campaign, claiming 13th in the top flight last season, which proved to be their joint-highest finish since 1976-77.
Los Franjiverdes were only four points outside of the relegation zone last term, tough, and they have found it difficult in the early stages of this season, picking up just one point from five games to sit 19th.
Elche have scored just twice and conceded 13, meanwhile, which are worrying statistics ahead of a trip to Camp Nou, especially with Barcelona looking to bounce back from their European disappointment.
Francisco’s side started their 2022-23 campaign with a 3-0 defeat at Real Betis before claiming their first point of the season at home to Almeria one week later.
The Green-striped ones have now lost their last three against Real Sociedad, Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao, though, conceding eight times in their last two defeats, while they have shipped 13 goals on their last four visits to Barcelona in Spain’s top flight.
Barcelona La Liga form:
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Barcelona form (all competitions):
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Elche La Liga form:
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We say: Barcelona 3-0 Elche
Elche only narrowly lost (3-2) at Camp Nou last season, but it is difficult to imagine them causing Barcelona too many problems on Saturday afternoon. The home side’s recent league form has been excellent, and we are fully expecting them to put another three points on the board here in comfortable fashion.