Barcelona Seeks Fourth Straight Win in La Liga Clash at Valencia

The fourth round of La Liga continues on Sunday with four fixtures, with all eyes on the league leaders. Real Madrid's slip-up against Betis has presented Barcelona with a golden opportunity to remain the only team with a perfect record this season if they secure a fourth consecutive victory away at Valencia's Mestalla.

Barcelona's Perfect Start

Barcelona heads to Valencia following an outstanding start to the campaign, boasting three convincing wins from three matches and a goal difference of 12-2: a 5-0 thrashing of Elche, a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, and a 5-2 victory against Rayo Vallecano.

While Raphinha is in stellar form with five goals, the main question mark surrounds Lamine Yamal. The young star missed the final team training session, working individually in the gym.

Yamal, who scored a brace against Rayo in the previous round, trained normally on Friday and does not appear to have a serious injury. However, manager Hansi Flick may choose to rest him ahead of Wednesday's Champions League opener against Feyenoord. Fermin Lopez is expected to return to the starting lineup, while Pedri and Marc Bernal are set to continue in central midfield.

Valencia's Struggles

Valencia enters the match in contrasting form, having secured just one point from their opening three games after a draw with Celta Vigo and defeats to Betis and Deportivo La Coruna.

Despite their poor start, the hosts can draw confidence from last season's corresponding fixture, where they surprised Barcelona with a 3-1 win at the Mestalla, marking their first victory over the Catalan giants since January 2020.