Luis Suarez leads the eight Barcelona changes made for this afternoon’s Camp Nou encounter with Levante in La Liga.
The Uruguayan had appeared to be hitting form in La Blaugrana’s attacking trident alongside both Lionel Messi and Neymar, but with the midweek Champions League match against Manchester City in mind, he is dropped to the substitutes’ bench.
Consequently Pedro Rodriguez is named in the No 9’s absence, joining fellow newcomers Claudio Bravo, Martin Montoya, Marc Bartra, Adriano, Ivan Rakitic, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets, none of whom started the recent 3-1 Copa del Rey victory over Villarreal.
In light of Real Madrid’s win against Deportivo La Coruna yesterday, only a win will do for Barca if they are to maintain their one-point deficit behind the League leaders, while Levante need the points to abandon the relegation zone.
Barcelona: Bravo; Montoya, Bartra, Mascherano, Adriano; Busquets, Xavi, Rakitic; Pedro, Messi, Neymar
Subs: Ter Stegen, Pique, Mathieu, Alba, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha, Suarez
Levante: Marino; Lopez, Navarro, Ramis, Tono; Simao, Diop; Xumetra, Barral, Morales; Uche
Subs: Fernandez, Vyntra, Ruben, Juanfran, Casadesus, Jose Mari, Jason
Referee: Melero Lopez
