MalagaentertainBarcelonaat La Rosaleda in another early kick-off for the Blaugrana.The benefits of being the first fixture of the weekend is that Luis Enrique's side can put direct pressure on Atletico Madrid with a win here.Three points will guarantee them top spot until the Rojiblancos take on Sevilla exactly 24 hours later, a fixture that's by no means a foregone conclusion in results terms.In their last two home games, Malaga have claimed the scalps of Atleti and high-flying Celta Vigo, both without conceding a goal. The motivation to claim a hat-trick is obvious, and Barca would do well to take Los Boquerones a bit more seriously than in previous recent fixtures.The Blaugrana have been undone at Camp Nou and have found it extremely difficult to grind out wins at this venue over the last couple of seasons.That's as much to do with the attitude from the visitors as it is down to the hard work of Javi Gracia's side.Both teams are suffering on the injuries and suspensions front.Neymarwon't travel due to muscle discomfort, perJavier Giraldo ofSport (link in Spanish), and perhaps with a view to being saved for the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final.Gerard Pique is also sidelined through an accumulation of bookings as is Malaga's Arthur Boka, the latter for his red card against Sevilla.A late goal for Athletic Bilbao in the cup tie against the Catalans keeps things interesting, but it does mean that Luis Enrique will have to think about playing his strongest squad in that fixture.Enrique noted in his pre-match press conference, via FCBarcelona.com:Malaga has always been a difficult rival, they defend well and prevent us from creating chances.It's a vital game for us to stay high in the table. We have to take this game very seriously.[...] Messi and Mathieu have recovered. I think they won't have any trouble to play tomorrow.[...]The schedule is awful and it demands a lot from us. The whole squad has to be ready.[...]It's hard to rest a player like Suarez due to their desire to play. But his suspension has made one of our vital players rest.Therefore, the Barca manager has to juggle his pack to enable Barca to remain competitive in this and every competition.Date:Saturday, January 23Time:3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ETVenue:La Rosaleda, Malaga, SpainTV Info:Not available in UK/beINSports 1 (US only)Live Stream:beINSports Connect(US only),FuboTV(Free trial + monthly subscriptionUS only)Form LinesLast 6 ResultsMalagaBarcelonaL 1-2 vs. SevillaW 2-1 vs.Athletic ClubD 1-1 vs.Las PalmasW 6-0 vs.Athletic ClubW 2-0 vs.Celta VigoW 2-0 vs.EspanyolW 1-0 vs. LevanteW 4-0 vs.GranadaW 1-0 vs. Atletico MadridW 4-1 vs.EspanyolL 0-1 vs. MirandesD 0-0 vs.EspanyolWhoScored.comPredicted FormationsGracia will attempt to stifle Barcelona's creativity by utilising a basic but compact 4-4-2 formation.The tight two banks of four will stop players such as Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi from penetrating in between the lines, essentially meaning Barca's threat will only come down the flanks.Arda Turan will be preferred to Neymar.The Turkish international must stay on the front foot against Roberto Rosales, a player who has proved to be the weak link in Malaga's back four on more than one occasion.The experienced Weligton can take up any slack from the left-hand side but also has to concern himself with a player in Luis Suarez who is in the hottest of form: 29 goals in his last 29 games is a strike rate of the very highest order.Raul Albentosa and Rosales have a penchant for not staying on their feet at crucial moments, but they'll need to stand tall against the incessant attack from the visitors.Messi in particular just needs a small chink of space to open up in order for him to cause panic. Such devastating pace from a standing start is where Barca can profit in the opening exchanges.Carlos Kameni has been frugal in the amount of goals he has let in, and we can be assured that the 31-year-old stopper will raise his game for the visit of the Catalans. As usual.Ignacio Camacho and Recio will be working overtime in the centre of Malaga's midfield, given that it will be mainly their remit to close down any openings in that part of the field whilst still ensuring distribution is accurate and quick ball is delivered.Their wide men, Juanpi and Chori Castro, have to shuttle incessantly behind the lines and, in the former's case, put as much pressure on the returning Jeremy Mathieu as possible.Duje Cop should be picked off fairly easily by Marc Bartra and Dani Alves should the latter provide cover, but the dangerous Charles remains a different proposition entirely.Javier Mascherano and Mathieu have to work in tandem to ensure that the attacking threat on Claudio Bravo's goal is kept to a minimum, the Frenchman often a liability in this regard.Player to WatchWeligton might be advancing in years, but he remains one of Malaga's most polished performers.Bar the first game between the two teams earlier in the season, the player has played every minute of every match he has been involved in, winning a man-of-the-match accolade in two of his last four outings, per WhoScored.Not bad for a central defender.The 36-year-old is the defensive cornerstone for Los Boquerones and can be relied upon to provide excellence and experience in the role at all times.Suarez won't play against too many better exponents during this campaign, the Uruguayan needing to be at his most inventive if he wants to get on the scoresheet here.Against Turan, too, Weligton will fight the good fight and enjoy the heat of battle.Key BattleWhere would Malaga be languishing without the goals of Brazilian veteran Charles'Per WhoScored, Charles has found the net on eight occasions during 2015/16. None of his team-mates have scored more than one, a quite astonishing statistic.Although he'll likely lose out in a foot race to Javier Mascherano, Charles is still an awkward customer and, at over 6', will win the lion's share of aerial battles if he's given the right service.With Gerard Pique suspended for this one, Marc Bartra will be drafted in, giving the defence a slightly unfamiliar look as Roberto continues in the left-back role.That could play into the hands of Malaga's front men, and Charles will look to capitalise at every opportunity.Charles' strike partner Duje Cop has been a disappointment in this campaign, and so if the Brazilian can be marked out of the game, Malaga's chances of scoring here are virtually nil.OddsAthletic Bilbao win9-1Barcelona win20-69Draw19-4Pre-match odds courtesy ofOdds Shark.
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