Barcelona will take on Leganes on Sunday, 15 December in La Liga with the hosts looking to cling on to their position at the top of the table after a string of bad results.
Barcelona were flying this time last month but have since seen both Madrid clubs cut into their lead in the title race and will more than likely go into this match in second place providing Real Madrid do the business against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
This is also a big match for Leganes who are at risk of dropping into the relegation zone this weekend. They are currently two points clear of Espanyol in 18th position.
How the bookies view it: Barcelona are the overwhelming favourites
Barcelona's questionable form in La Liga hasn't put the bookies off here as they are still considered huge favourites to overcome Leganes. BoyleSports have priced a Barcelona victory as short as 1/8 while a win for Leganes is considered very unlikely at a price of 16/1. The draw, which would be a another bad result for the hosts, has been priced at 7/1.
Recent head-to-head: Advantage Barcelona
Barcelona have a very good overall record against Leganes and they have won each of the last four meetings between the two clubs. Leganes haven't been completely hopeless in matches against the Catalan giants, though, and they recorded a famous victory over them in September 2018 when they ran out as 2-1 winners in front of their home fans.
Players to watch: Who can get Barcelona back on track?
Barcelona picked up a big win in the Champions League in the week, downing Borussia Dortmund 3-2 but their league form will be a cause for concern for Hansi Flick, whose honeymoon period in Catalonia is well and truly over.
The injury to Lamine Yamal seemed to derail things for Barcelona but the teenager's return has done little to spark them back to life while Robert Lewandowski's goals have also dried up and the experienced Pole now has just one goal in Barcelona's last four matches.
One man who has remained a threat for Barcelona in spite of their poor form is Raphinha who is enjoying the best season of his career to date. The Brazilian winger has scored seven goals in his last 10 appearances for Barcelona and feels like the most likely candidate to drag Barcelona out of their current rut.
Predicted line-ups
Bizarelly, Barcelona's dip in form has coincided with their injury list clearing and they now only have four players in the treatment room, including goalkeeper Mac-Andre ter Stegen. Leganes are missing three players for this match with Darko Brasanac and Dani Raba injured and Valentin Rosier suspended.
Barcelona: Pena – Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde – Casado, De Jong, Pedri – Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Leganes: Dmitrovic – Altimira, Gonzalez, Nastasic, Hernandez – Neyou, Tapia – Garcia, Rodriguez, Brasanac – De la Fuente
Anything else catch the eye?
Barcelona's biggest problem in recent weeks has been leaking goals with both teams scoring in each of their last four matches sin all competitions. This is a market that has also been fruitful in recent Leganes fixtures with goals going in at both ends in two of their last three outings. Both teams to score on Sunday has been priced at 20/21.
This La Liga match between Barcelona and Leganes will be played on Dec 15, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Barcelona vs Leganes prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
