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La Liga 2015-2016: Sporting Gijon vs Barcelona, Preview, Prediction & Predicted Lineup

| Feb 15, 2016 05:19 AM EST

Barcelona's Luis Suárez, Neymar, and Lionel Messi.

Real Sporting de Gijon (6-12-5, 23 points) is slowly climbing the league table after four straight unbeaten games, but the team will next face the reigning La Liga champions FC Barcelona (18-2-3, 57 points) at their home field of Estadio El Molinón on Wednesday.

Sporting Gijon is coming off a 2-2 draw with middling squad Rayo Vallecano also at their home stadium last Friday, as reported by ESPN.

Los Rojiblancos got the early lead with a 5th-minute goal from Spanish striker Miguel Ángel Guerrero. Rayo's Venezuelan forward Miku was able to tie it at the 39th, but Croatian winger Alen Halilović put the hosts up one minute into the first half stoppage time to lead at the interval 2-1.

Head coach Abelardo Fernández boys could not keep the lead in the second half as Los Franjirrojos leveled the count again courtesy of a short range left-footed shot by Spanish midfielder Jozabed only six yards out from the left side of the box.

The draw gave Sporting one point to add in their overall total lifting them two points above the bottom three relegation group. The team had been trying to fight their out of the cellar for weeks and they had been able to successfully do that in their past four outings.

Meanwhile, Barça was able to bounce back from their poor showing in their previous game as they manhandled Celta Vigo, 6-1, at the Camp Nou on Sunday, via SkySports.

The three-headed monster of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez led the Catalonia giants once again with the Uruguayan pulling off a hat trick at the 59th, 75th, and 81st while Messi opened scoring at the 28th and Neymar putting the icing on the cake during injury time.

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic contributed Barça's fifth goal, six minutes before full time, as the only other Barcelona player outside of the trio to have scored in the contest.

As for Os Célticos, Swede forward John Guidetti netted a consolation goal with a penalty kick at the 39th to put his team on the board.

The predicted result is a lopsided 4-0 victory for Barcelona and its Big Three of Messi, Suárez, and Neymar will again provide the scoring punch.

Sporting Gijon starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Cuellar; Vranjes, Hernandez, Mere, Lopez; Atmane, Picon; Carmona, Ndi, Rodriguez; Guerrero

Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Roberto, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar

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