Barcelona vs Sevilla preview - Navas feeling good before Barca clash

Posted Saturday, October 22, 2011 by PA

Sevilla winger Jesus Navas is in optimistic mood ahead of Saturday's trip to Barcelona as the Andalusian outfit look to become the first Primera Division side to win at the Nou Camp in over a year.

Barca go into the clash having won 20 of their 22 league matches since they were last beaten in front of their own fans, when newly-promoted Hercules claimed a shock 2-0 victory in Catalonia at the start of last season.

This campaign Barca have been in stunning form at their headquarters, winning all four of their La Liga matches with a combined 21-0 scoreline, and that has left the reigning European and Spanish champions at the top of the standings, level on 17 points with surprise package Levante.

However, Sevilla have also enjoyed a fine start to the campaign under new coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, and they are in fourth spot, two points behind the leaders, and are one of only three teams still unbeaten - the others being Barca and Levante.

Navas said ahead of the game: "We haven't lost in the league and we are full of hope.

"It's a very important game, we are deservedly up there and winning the three points would be a great step forward. And, even though Barcelona are a great team, we are going to make it difficult for them.

"It's complicated, but they've already drawn two games in the league. I think we are going to have our chances and we have to take advantage of them."

Some visiting teams believe the best policy at the Nou Camp is to get men behind the ball and try to nullify Barca's all-star attack with strength of numbers, but Navas believes the best approach for his team is to push forward.

"If you you sit back against them that isn't effective either. We have to go for them but, as I said, we have to be focused and solid, because up front they have players who can cause a lot of damage," he said.

One of those players is Lionel Messi, who has scored 16 goals in all competitions already this season.

Messi has scored 10 of those goals in Barca's four home league matches, although the Argentina superstar failed to get on the scoresheet during Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen at the Nou Camp.

Messi hit the post twice in that game, but it was his team-mate Andres Iniesta who took the plaudits with a fine performance that included a superbly-taken goal early on.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola heaped praise on "unique" Iniesta after the game and team-mate Dani Alves believes the Spain international is on a similar level as Messi.

Responding to that, Iniesta said in AS: "Leo is Leo and Andres is Andres. What we have to do is for both of us to give our best to help the team. At this stage there is no doubt that Messi is number one.

"These things don't worry me. I don't play to be the best in the world and it doesn't matter to me if I am or not. I play football because it's my passion, because I'm in the best team in the world to do it and because it makes me happy to win titles and for the fans to be happy with our success."

Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been given the green light to return to action after three weeks out with a hamstring tear, but Alexis Sanchez, Gerard Pique and Ibrahim Afellay are all set to be missing through injury.

Sevilla are likely to be without Alvaro Negredo, Diego Perotti and Emir Spahic.