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Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and midfielder Frenkie de Jong remain one yellow card away from a one-match ban, meaning they will miss El Clasico if they pick up a booking on Monday against Real Valladolid.
The Catalan giants return to La Liga action after the international break at the Camp Nou against Sergio’s side and then take on fierce rivals Real Madrid five days later at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
Coach Ronald Koeman will want his strongest team available for the trip to Real Madrid given both sides remain in the hunt for the title. Atletico Madrid leads the way on 66 points, four points ahead of Barcelona, and six in front of Real Madrid.
The Dutch coach could decide to rest Messi and De Jong against Real Valladolid to protect both players from suspension. However, Messi seems certain to play at least some part given he did not feature for Argentina over the international break because South American World Cup qualifiers were postponed because of Covid-19.
De Jong could potentially be handed a breather, particularly as he played for 90 minutes in all three of the Netherlands’ qualifiers against Turkey, Latvia, and Gibraltar. However, the midfielder has emerged as a vital player under Koeman and has played in every single La Liga match so far this season.
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Dangerous Referee For Messi?
Referee Jaime Latre will take charge of Barcelona’s clash against Real Valladolid, and the match official may not be a popular choice for the hosts. Latre has already handed Messi two controversial bookings in his career, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The first came back in 2018-19 in La Liga against Athletic. Messi was booked after the final whistle on his way to the dressing for his protests to the official. “You are threatening me, you are threatening me. Always the same with you, always the same,” the match official noted Messi said to him in his post-match report.
Latre also booked Messi against Sevilla in 2016-17, a decision that the club subsequently appealed. The Argentine was shown the yellow card for tying his bootlace before a free-kick after it had come off following a foul by Steven Nzonzi.
Koeman’s Injuries Easing
It still seems likely that Messi will start on Monday but Koeman does have options if he does want to be careful with De Jong. The Dutchman has featured in a center-back role, rather than his usual midfield spot, before the international break but Barca’s defensive injuries are now easing.
Sergi Roberto is back in training and should be passed fit before the match, Ronald Araujo is also back to full fitness after injury, while Gerard Pique is also close to a return after knee trouble.
Araujo is one option to return in defense alongside Oscar Mingueza, and Clement Lenglet which would allow De Jong to drop out if required, although Koeman may well be prepared to risk the 23-year-old.
It’s also worth noting that Real Madrid will also be without a key player for the match. Captain Sergio Ramos has been ruled out for a month with a calf problem which will be a big blow for the hosts ahead of the game.
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