Barcelona were made to fight for all three points away to Celta Vigo over the weekend, but got the job done to maintain their four-point advantage over rivals Real Madrid. Wednesday’s match should be a bit smoother for the Blaugrana, who are expected to beat Almeria by a comfortable margin.
Barcelona vs. Almería 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Blaugrana shouldn’t have much trouble on Wednesday.
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Almeria are currently down in the drop zone and have not won in their last seven La Liga matches. However, they do have a record of challenging top opposition on the road. They have an away win over Malaga this season, and they lost by just one goal at Athletic Bilbao and Valencia, scoring in both matches.
Lionel Messi has fallen a bit behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the La Liga golden boot race thanks to the former’s ridiculous five-goal outburst against Granada, but Messi hasn’t dropped off in form at all. He’s turned into a bit more of a provider than goal-scorer in recent weeks, letting Neymar and Luis Suarez bag the goals. However, he could still be feeling the effects of a sore foot that kept him out of two Argentina friendlies.
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Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: None. In doubt: Thomas Vermaelen (hamstring), Jordi Alba (hamstring).
Almería injuries and suspensions
Out: Fran Velez (shoulder). In doubt: Michel (hamstring), Quique (thigh), Jose Antonio Verza (unspecified), Teerasil Dangda (unspecified).
Barcelona are close to having everyone back to full fitness -- even Thomas Vermaelen. The summer signing is finally back in full training and could make his debut for the Blaugrana in the next couple of weeks.
Match date/time: Wednesday, 2 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. local
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
TV: beIN Sports (U.S. and Canada), beIN Sports en Español (U.S. - Spanish), Sky Sports 5 (U.K.), Canal+ (Spain)
Online: beIN Sports Connect (U.S. and Canada), Sky Go (U.K.), Canal+ Yomvi (Spain)
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