After their 1-0 win over APOEL on Tuesday in a Champions League encounter the Catalans will now resume their quest for a domestic title when they face Levante on Sunday. Barcelona endured a frustrating outing against the Cypriot side but Gerard Pique’s goal in the first half earned the home side all three points. Manager Luis Enrique chose to make nine changes to his squad for the Champions League match and claimed that squad rotation was imperative in order to keep all the players fit.
"I am sure that we will succeed with the help of all players," he told reporters. "We have to analyse why the match was so difficult for us today.”
"The players are not machines - players need to be fit - but we have to improve."
Chile international Claudio Bravo has been preferred over Marc-Andre ter Stegen so far but the German did start the match against APOEL. Enrique stated that he will not be rotating his goalkeepers depending on whether it’s a cup or a league match but did insist that all three first team goalkeepers are in his plans.
"I don’t have a goalkeeper for each competition," he added. "We will use the three in the first team according to our needs."
Barcelona will be a buoyant mood ahead of their match on Sunday having not lost at Levante since the 1964-65 season. Levante currently sit at the bottom of the league table having recorded just a single point in the three matches they have played so far.
After consecutive defeats at the hands of Athletic de Bilbao and Villarreal, Les Granotes picked their first point of the season when they drew 0-0 in an away fixture against Malaga. Despite a disappointing start to the season Levante manager Jose Luis Mendilibar is confident that his side can produce an upset at the expense of Barcelona.
"I'm convinced we're going to make it difficult," he said. "We want to win. I want to win and the players feel comfortable. It may be time to look at things more optimistically."
Luis Enrique has an almost fully fit squad to choose from with the exception of Belgian international Thomas Vermaelen who is still unfit whereas Luis Suarez will continue to serve his ban.
Levante vs Barcelona team sheets
Levante starting XI: Jesús, Toño, Héctor, Vyntra, Barral, Morales, Casadesús, Pedro López, Diop, Simao, Camarasa
Barcelona starting XI: Bravo, Alves, Mascherano, Mathieu, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Pedro, Messi, Neymar
Barcelona bench: Ter Stegen, Montoya, Pique, Xavi, Sergi Roberto, Munir, Sandro
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