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Barcelona face tricky Sevilla match in La Liga

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Madrid: FC Barcelona have what could be a tricky evening ahead of them when they entertain Sevilla in the Spanish La Liga Saturday.

Barca go into the game in the midst of further confusion after a Lionel Messi interview was interpreted as some as opening the door to a possible departure from the club, reports Xinhua.

The Argentinean’s comments to the respect that a footballer never knows what will happen in the future, varied little from what most footballers reply when asked about their long term plans and team-mate Javier Mascherano said as much when asked about the issue Thursday.

Nevertheless with Barcelona’s form far from convincing this season, any further uncertainty is not going to help and coach Luis Enrique knows he needs to see an improvement on their last two league displays – a home defeat to Celta Vigo and a 2-1 win away to Almeria, which despite taking all three points, was arguably Barca’s worst display of the campaign.

Luis Suarez’s cameo as a second half substitute saved the day in Almeria and he will partner Messi and Neymar in the Barca attack, while Luis Enrique will be looking for more fluidity in midfield.

Former Sevilla player Ivan Rakitic, who joined Barcelona from his former club this summer, is almost certain to start alongside Sergio Busquets and possible, Xavi Hernandez, while doubts remain over who will partner Mascherano in central defence.

Sevilla travel to Barcelona in fifth place despite having taken just one point from their last two goals, a 0-1 defeat in Bilbao and a 1-1 draw at home to Levante.

Unai Emery’s side will include two players on loan from the Catalans with striker Gerard Deulofeu and midfielder Denis Suarez, who has been especially impressive in his first season in the top flight, both looking to impress.

Emery’s sides are always well organised and with striker Carlos Bacca in goalscoring form, this could be a game which produces a surprise and if that happens, the shockwaves will reverberate far beyond the walls of the Camp Nou Stadium.

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Sunil Gavaskar gives his opinion of GT allrounder Rahul Tewatia

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The left-handed batsman from Haryana is garnering praise from all quarters for the way he’s finishing games regularly in the most exciting IPL season.

Gavaskar reckons Tewatia’s whirlwind knock in Sharjah (in IPL 2020) where he smashed West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, gave him the confidence that he belongs to the big stage.

Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “That assault on Sheldon Cottrell in Sharjah gave him the belief to do the impossible and the confidence that he belongs here. We saw the impossible (he did with the bat) the other day as well. There’s no twitching or touching the pads (which shows a batter’s nervousness) when he bats in the death overs. He just waits for the ball to be delivered and plays his shots. He’s got all the shots in the book, but most importantly his temperament to stay cool in a crisis is brilliant.”

Gavaskar has also nicknamed the 28-year-old cricketer the ‘ice-man’ and lauded Tewatia’s ability to remain unruffled during the tense moments.

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