Barcelona is dominating the league and gaining better every day under Xavi, going unbeaten in ten straight La Liga games. Barca will play host to Sevilla at the Camp Nou on Sunday with no other goal in mind but to win because they are five points clear of Real Madrid. Although Sevilla's defence has been their greatest asset this season - allowing only seven goals they have also developed since Jorge Sampaoli came over as manager in October.Sevilla is currently in the bottom half of La Liga, but with three victories in their previous five games, things are looking up, even if it will be difficult to beat Barcelona.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match, and more:
How to watch and the odds
Odds: Sevilla +800; Draw +250; Barcelona -320 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storyl ines:
Barcelona: The squad experienced a quiet transfer window, with Hector Bellerin and Memphis Depay leaving for Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid, respectively. As a substitute for Bellerin, they attempted to sign Julian Araujo from the Los Angeles Galaxy, but the transaction was too late to be approved by the league. Four high-profile transactions were delayed by paperwork throughout the world, but this one could be significant since Barcelona will be short on right backs for the rest of the season.
Sevilla: Thanks to the additions of Loc Bade, Bryan Gil, and Pape Gueye, Sevilla have become stronger in a busy window. Watching Gil's return to Spain will be interesting because he had trouble getting playing time at Tottenham, but his ball-handling prowess fits Spanish soccer nicely. He will strive to make an impact in this game as he has a chance to make his club's season debut this week.
Prediction
In this game, Barcelona won't have too much problems. Despite being a brave team, Sevilla's offensive isn't potent enough to challenge Barcelona's defence. Pick: Sevilla 2, Barcelona 2.