PREVIEW | Cádiz v FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona go into the fifth game of the league season on an absolute high. After a setback in the fist game against Rayo Vallecano, the Catalans have been in simply stunning form, winning all of the next four, and doing so convincingly, while also storming to a huge win in their first European fixture.

But it's not just been the results, it's also been the way they have been getting them. The solid defending (just three competitive goals conceded), the utter dominance in midfield, and the way the forwards are turning chances into goals with such remarkable efficiency have got the whole world talking.

Things may not have lived up to the expected high standards in recent times, but things have changed very much for the better at FC Barcelona.

They now head to the Nuevo Mirandilla for what on paper should be a simple mission. While Barça are on a roll, Cádiz have started their season in the worst possible fashion, losing all four league games and failing to score a single goal in the process. Their last home game was a miserable 4-0 defeat to Athletic Club and that was followed last week by a crushing 3-0 loss at Celta.

But Barça would be wise not to underestimate this fixture. Not only did they fail to beat Cádiz in either of the two meetings last season (including a 1-0 defeat at Camp Nou), they didn't win in 2021/22 either. Just two points out of a potential 12 in the last four meetings is Barça's poorest ever run against Cádiz.

There's something about games between Barça and Cádiz, and let's hope that this is the game that confines that bizarre streak of results to the annals of historical anecdotes.

How things stand

Barça have risen to second place in the table, matched on 10 points by Villarreal and two adrift of leaders Real Madrid, who have a 100 per cent record after the first four games.

Those two teams are both in action on Sunday. Real Madrid are at home to Mallorca at 2pm CEST, while Villarreal face a tricky trip to fourth placed Real Betis at 9pm CEST.

Team news

Xavi has a near-complete squad to choose from, the only fitness concern being what we are reassured is only a minor issue with Sergi Roberto, but he has been left out of the squad for this game. The coach also has two more players at his disposal, with new signings Hector Bellerín and Marcos Alonso being added to the defensive mix, both of whom could well be making their debuts on Saturday. They were both included in the travelling of party of 24 that flew south on Friday.

Cádiz are also well blessed in the injury department, with midfielder Ander Garrido the only absentee.

Did you know?

Cádiz have had 32 shots on goal this season, but not one of them has found the net.

Should Robert Lewandowski score, he would equal the best ever goalscoring start for a new team this century, the six goals scored by André Silva after joining Sevilla in 2018. Of course, should Lewy score more than one...

A seventeenth away game without defeat would mean Xavi equalling Zinedine Zidane's best ever record on the road after taking over a new Liga club.

Xavi says

"A difficult, tough, defensive opponent, and a great chance to get revenge for recent results against them … This is the kind of place where titles are won or lost.”

"I quite understand why Jordi Alba said what he did. It is important to be honest about things. Don’t read too much into it, the the most important thing is that he’s plugged in and had a great game the other day.”

“Bellerín and Marcos Alonso are in the squad and tomorrow we’ll decide whether to play them or not, and whether that’s 90, 30 or 10 minutes.”

“We have a big squad with cover in every position. It’s what I wanted and what Barça needed. I am not planning to rest anyone for the Bayern game, after all we can make five substitutions. First we need to make sure we win this one”