MADRID, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona has an excellent chance to pile the pressure on Real Madrid and its under-fire coach Xabi Alonso when Osasuna visits the Camp Nou Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Barcelona will take to the pitch knowing a win against a side that has lost six out of eight games with just two draws away from home, would send them seven points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of Real Madrid's complicated away game against Alaves on Sunday where Alonso's job looks to be on the line.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick will be without the injured Dani Olmo and Gavi, while Ronald Araujo is unavailable after the club gave him permission to travel to Israel to make a spiritual retreat as the defender looks to overcome his emotional problems.
Flick has everyone else available and has the rare luxury of being able to make squad rotations after his side's narrow 2-1 win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford both have a good chance of starting on Saturday, with Torres looking to add to the 11 goals he has scored in La Liga this season, which is already one more than last season.
Rashford has also shown he is getting back to his best form and he offers an alternative to Raphinha, who continues to show how important he is with his high pressing and his goals.
"Every game is difficult in La Liga if you aren't 100 percent. We have prepared well and it doesn't matter who plays, because we are focused on what we need to fight for the three points," said Flick in his pre-game press conference, in which he also confirmed Joan Garcia as his first-choice goalkeeper, even though Marc Andre Ter Stegen has returned to training with the first team.
Osasuna has positive news on the injury front with three players who ended last weekend's win over Levante with physical problems, Aimar Oroz, Lucas Torro and Enzo Boyomo all back to full training, with Boyomo set to play his last game before traveling to the African Cup of Nations. ■
