Adriano wary of Barca´s La Liga rivals

Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla will all compete for La Liga honours this term, according to Barcelona defender Adriano.

The experienced full-back has rarely featured so far under Luis Enrique this season, with Barca two points off leaders Real Madrid having dropped points on three occasions.

With Barca’s next fixture coming against Adriano’s former club Sevilla on Saturday, the 30-year-old also feels defending champions Atletico and third-placed Valencia will provide competition in the title race.

Barca have beaten Sevilla on each of their last five attempts and Adriano feels victory on the return from the international break is a must.

“The league is not a two-horse race,” he told the club’s official website.

“Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla will also be competing and we’ll have to be at our best to beat them.

“It’ll be a tough game as they always are against Sevilla.

“There have been changes to their team and what they’ve got now is a very well-structured unit.”

The tenure of former playing great Luis Enrique has endured some rocky periods so far with defeat to Real Madrid in October followed by a surprise reversal against Celta Vigo.

However, Adriano feels the current squad are getting to grips with the pressure that surrounds the club following an underwhelming campaign under Gerardo Martino in 2013-14.

“There are always big demands at Barca,” he added.

“So we’ve been under pressure since the start of the season. With so many changes to the squad, we needed some time to adapt. But football doesn’t allow you that much time.

“But with the confidence we have in Luis Enrique and in ourselves, better football and better results will start to come.

“In some games, like the one with Celta, we were unlucky in front of goal, but that’s football.”