Barcelona hope to begin a second-half charge, starting with a road clash with Villarreal.

Barca find themselves five points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, which means they will need to have a dominant run to catch and eventually overtake their rivals.

These two teams played in the season opener, with Barcelona picking up an easy 5-0 victory. A similar result on Saturday would extend the Blaugrana's league winning streak to three games. They simply can't afford to drop any points against bottom-tier squads if they want to defend the La Liga crown.

It's been a very disappointing season for Villarreal. The Submarino Amarillo finished a respectable fourth last season, but currently sit just outside the relegation zone at the midway point. They need to kick it into gear over the next couple months to avoid a shocking loss of their spot in the league.

Where: Estadio El Madrigal in Villarreal, Spain

When: Saturday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN3.com

Betting Odds: Barcelona -455, Villarreal +1050, Draw +485

Player to Watch for Villarreal: Borja Valero

Villarreal are at their most successful when Valero is dominating possession in the midfield. He's the team's most creative playmaker, and when the ball is at his foot, good things usually happen. It just hasn't been a common enough occurrence this season because Villarreal has been pushed around.

The Submarino Amarillo held possession for just 26 percent of the first meeting. It's nearly impossible to generate any sustained pressure at that rate. They must do a better job in the early going of slowly building up rushes into the attacking third so Valero can work his magic.

Player to Watch for Barcelona: Alexis Sanchez

There were some questions heading into the season about Sanchez's ability to perform in his first season with Barcelona after arriving from Udinese, but he answered those quickly. He has scored seven goals and added two assists in 11 league games.

The 23-year-old Chilean star has provided a lot of support from Lionel Messi up top, giving the world's best player more room to operate. When you have talented teammates like that, it allows Sanchez to fly below the radar, which makes him even more effective.

Key Matchup: Gonzalo vs. Lionel Messi

Messi led the way in Barca's August rout, scoring two second-half goals. He was recently awarded his third straight Ballon d'Or Trophy for player of the year and is the favorite to win it again after 2012. He's in a class all by himself right now.

Slowing him down will be the task of Villarreal centre-back Gonzalo. Messi's fellow Argentine has been one of the few bright spots for the Submarino Amarillo during the current campaign, but he'll have his hands full on Saturday to say the least.

What They're Saying

Enis Koylu of Goal.com passed along the thoughts of Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna, who praised Barcelona's form and fitness:

"Today Barcelona are the best team in the world, and it is difficult to find a way to win," Senna told Sport.

The Spain international went on to voice his desire to see Real Madrid take the Catalan side to extra time in Wednesday evening's Clasico clash.

"This current Barcelona team seems to get less tired than others. I would like to see them play extra time in the Copa del Rey match against Real Madrid."

Prediction

Barcelona 3, Villarreal 1