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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
BARCELONA  Valdes Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Cesc, Villa | REAL ZARAGOZA  Roberto Juarez, Meira, Lanzaro, Paredes Barrera, Micael, Ponzio, Juan Carlos Luis Garcia Postiga |
Barcelona have three first team players currently recovering from injury. Ibrahim Afellay is back in light training but is still some way away from returning to action after his cruciate injury.
Pedro is still recuperating from a knee problem, while Adriano suffered a leg muscle injury whilst on international duty with Brazil and is expected to be sidelined for 10 days.
Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano returned to training on Thursday after their World Cup qualifiers but the former Liverpool man limped off in his last match for Argentina and is a slight doubt. Alexis Sanchez made a late return from international duty with Chile and may be rested by Pep Guardiola.
For Javier Aguirre's side, Abraham Minero and Adam Pinter took part in a training session on Monday and look to have fully recovered from their respective injuries.
However, there's bad news for Real Zaragoza this week as Paraguayan defender Paulo Da Silva has reportedly suffered a break in his right leg and looks to be missing for the foreseeable future.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- The last match between Barcelona and Real Zaragoza was a 1-0 victory for Pep Guardiola's side, in which Seydou Keita scored the all important goal.
- Barcelona have notched up 34 goals so far in La Liga this season, Zaragoza have managed to score just 12 times.
- Barcelona have welcomed Zaragoza to Camp Nou 57 times, and only lost twice.
- The Aragon outfit's last win at Camp Nou was a 1-0 victory 46 years ago.
- Javier Aguirre's side have conceded nearly double the amount of goals than they have scored this season, netting 12 times and leaking in 22 goals.
- Zaragoza's top goalscorer this season is Helder Postiga with four goals. Lionel Messi has scored 14, which is three more than the entire Zaragoza side.
Prediction
Barcelona usually struggle slightly after international matches, but you still feel they have far too much quality for Zaragoza to handle. The visitors at Camp Nou have not there in 47 years and it does not look likely that they will end this streak. Apart from one blip against Sevilla, Barcelona have been tremendous at home in La Liga this season and another comfortable win looks to be on the cards.
Editor's Prediction
Barcelona 3-0 Zaragoza 
