Can FC Barcelona bounce back against Cadiz?

After a disappointing start to the 2020/21 La Liga season plagued by inconsistencies on the field and disruptive boardroom politics off it, Barcelona have finally found form in the league under Ronald Koeman.

Demolishing a flabbergasted Deportivo Alaves side 5-1 in their own backyard, Blaugrana recorded their seventh straight victory in the league to continue in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid.

Next up for the in-form Catalonians is a home tie with Cadiz on Sunday, a side they have only faced three times in fifteen years, but who stunned them in this season's reverse fixture last December.

In one of the biggest victories in the club's history, goals from Alvaro Gimenez and Alvaro Negredo ensured that (wait for it) Alvaro (there it is) Cervera's side shocked the world to seal a crucial 2-1 victory against one of Spanish football's biggest titans.

El Submarino Amarillo currently sit in 15th place and remain on course for their target of survival, although there is only a difference of three points between them and the drop, so they can't rest on their laurels.

Can the underdogs complete a historic double over one of La Liga's biggest clubs, or will Barcelona's star-studded line-up and impressive form prevail to help them enact revenge?

We've analysed the statistics of the previous encounters between the two below.

Since their first meeting in the 1977/78 La Liga season, Barcelona have never lost to El Submarino Amarillo at Camp Nou - of the 11 games the two sides have played at the legendary venue, the hosts have won 10, failing to win only once in a 1-1 draw, 43 years ago.

Blaugrana have scored 78% of all goals scored in the fixture with 58, the visitors have scored just 16 in the 25 matches between the two.

Barcelona manager, Ronald Koeman is joint second for the most goals scored in the tie - behind Jose Mari Bakero, the Dutchman returned four goals against the southwestern Spaniards in his career.

The hosts have won 19 games against Alavaro Cervera's side (76% win ratio), with the visitors winning just three times (12% win ratio) and the teams sharing the points three times respectively.

Cadiz's 2-1 upset at the Estadio Ramon de Carranza earlier this season was their first win against the Catalonian outfit in 20 seasons, last bettering their opponents 4-0 in May, 1991.

In a comfortable victory in southwestern Spain, a star-studded Barcelona side featuring a certain teenage prospect by the name of Lionel Messi, cruised to a 3-1 victory against Cadiz.

French winger Ludovic Giuly opened the scoring for the Catalonians in the 34th minute, before Samuel Eto'o doubled the lead just before the break, as Cadiz failed to pose a threat to Blaugrana.

The third goal perfectly combined Barcelona's present and future, Lionel Messi laid the ball off to Samuel Eto'o after a mazy run into the opposition box, and the Cameroonian striker made no mistake in bagging his brace.

Summarising the differentiation in the seasons of the two teams, Barcelona went on to win their 18th league title, as a disappointing 19th placed finish for Cadiz led to a lengthy exile from Spain's top flight.

Paddy Power are offering odds of 13/10 for Barcelona to win by a goal handicap of -2.

(Odds correct at time of writing, subject to change).