Apr 5, 2017 at 6.30pm UK
Barcelona
3-0
Sevilla
Suarez (25'), Messi (28', 33')
Pique (15'), Busquets (71'), Rakitic (78'), Alena (85')
FT(HT: 3-0)

Iborra (38'), Vitolo (57')
Vitolo (91')
Football

Team News: Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique back for Barcelona

Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique return to the starting XI as Barcelona welcome fourth-placed Sevilla to Camp Nou.
By , Editor
Filed:
Updated: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 18:44 UK

Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique return to the starting XI as Barcelona welcome fourth-placed Sevilla to Camp Nou this evening.

In all, Luis Enrique makes four changes from the side that claimed a 4-1 victory at Granada on Sunday, with Messi returning up front alongside Luis Suarez and Neymar after serving a one-game suspension.

Jordi Alba drops to the bench and Jeremy Mathieu misses out in order to accommodate the returns of Pique, who was rested at the weekend, and Samuel Umtiti, alongside Javier Mascherano in what is expected to be a back three.

A knee injury keeps Rafinha out of the matchday squad and Andre Gomes starts among the substitutes as Enrique chooses to populate his four-man midfield with Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta.

Elsewhere, Barca B teenager Carles Alena gets a spot on the bench after coming on for Rakitic to earn his La Liga debut at the weekend.

For Sevilla, meanwhile, Jorge Sampaoli makes three changes to the side that were held to a goalless draw by Sporting Gijon three days ago as he switches to an expected 5-4-1 formation.

That means recalls for Gabriel Mercado and Sergio Escudero in the back line alongside Mariano, Nicolas Pareja and Clement Lenglet, with Pablo Sarabia making way.

Vicente Iborra joins Samir Nasri, Steven N'Zonzi and Vitolo in the middle of the park, with Joaquin Correa moving further forward in a lone striker role.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mascherano, Pique, Umtiti; Roberto, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta; Suarez, Messi, Neymar
Subs: Cillessen, Denis, Paco Alcacer, Jordi Alba, Digne, A. Gomes, Alena

Sevilla: Rico; Mariano, Mercado, Pareja, Lenglet, Escudero; Nasri, N'Zonzi, Iborra, Vitolo; Correa
Subs: Soria, Kranevitter, Carrico, Sarabia, Jovetic, Franco Vazquez, Ben Yadder

Keep up with all of the action from Camp Nou this evening with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

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