Barcelona team news: Messi & Suarez lead attack as Catalans take on Sporting

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Barcelona team news: Messi & Suarez lead attack as Catalans take on Sporting image

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez lead the Barcelona attack as the Blaugrana travel to Portugal to take on Sporting. 

With new signing Ousmane Dembele facing a long time on the sidelines, the South American double act take on responsibility up front as a duo. 

Barcelona 4/11 to score first v Sporting

The pair will be backed up by a packed midfield, with Andres Iniesta looking likely to push furthest forward of the quartet fielded by Ernesto Valverde. 

Ivan Rakitic, Sergi Roberto and Sergio Busquets are all handed starts in the middle, while Paulinho drops to the bench alongside Denis Suarez. 

There are few surprises at the back, with Nelson Semedo keeping his place on the right after a positive start to life at Camp Nou.

Sporting XI: Rui Patricio; Piccini, Coates, Mathieu, Coentrao; Battaglia, Carvalho; Acuna, Fernandes, Gelson Martins; Doumbia

Substitutes: Silva, Ruiz, Cesar, Salin, Petrovic, Dost, Figueiredo

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Roberto, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez.

Substitutes: Cillessen, Denis, Mascherano, Paulinho, Digne, André Gomes, Aleix Vidal

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