Barcelona v Sevilla: No divided loyalties for on-loan duo

Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suarez will get a chance to show Barcelona what they are missing when Sevilla travel to Camp Nou on Saturday.

Barca coach Luis Enrique sent Deulofeu out on a season-long loan to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in August after the attacker returned from spending the 2013-14 campaign at Everton.

Deulofeu spoke of his “shock” that he had been allowed to make another temporary move away from Camp Nou, but vowed to make the most of the opportunity to play in La Liga at Sevilla.

The 20-year-old will come up against his parent club this weekend and Denis Suarez will be in the same boat after he moved to the Andalusian outfit on a two-year loan deal as part of the transfer which saw Ivan Rakitic join Barcelona.

There will be no divided loyalties for Deulofeu when he lines up against Barca this weekend though, as he aims to consign Luis Enrique’s side to a second successive home defeat.

He told Sevilla’s official website: “I’m in line with Denis, as I said earlier in the season. I do not talk much Barca because I am in Sevilla, I do not need to talk about another club.

“Today my club is Sevilla. I’m focused on Sevilla. I’m learning here and next year it will have to happen.

“I am prepared, it is a special week but let’s try to get three points as in any other game, it’s complicated but we will do everything possible to pull it off.”

Deulofeu, who has scored one goal in seven Liga appearances for Sevilla, is relishing the opportunity to work under Unai Emery and is determined to become a regular fixture in the starting line-up.

He added: “I am learning a lot with Emery. I like how he plays at Sevilla. I’m happy, I want to play more minutes, but slowly.”

Rakitic will come up against Sevilla for the first time since leaving the club to sign a five-year deal with Barca.

The Croatia international spent three and a half years at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, scoring 32 goals in 149 appearances, becoming club captain and a firm fans’ favourite.

Rakitic has scored twice in 10 games in the Spanish top flight since arriving in Catalonia and played his part as Luis Enrique’s side put back-to-back defeats against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo behind them by beating Ajax and Almeria before the international break.

Luis Enrique will be hoping Andres Iniesta, Jeremy Mathieu (both calf) and Rafinha (thigh) are passed fit. Sergi Roberto is available to return after recovering from a groin problem.

Fifth-placed Sevilla, who will move above Barca in the table with a win, will assess Benoit Tremoulinas (toe) and Vicente Iborra (muscular injury), while Stephane Mbia is available to return from suspension.