In dire need of recovering its confidence and dominant form, Barcelona couldn't have asked for a better opponent than Spanish league struggler Deportivo La Coruna as they prepare for a critical Champions League match against AC Milan.
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Three days after Saturday's home game against Deportivo, Barcelona will host Milan with the daunting task of overturning a 2-0 deficit in the second leg of the last 16.
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With back-to-back losses to Real Madrid, and the defeat at Milan, Barcelona are mired in their worst run of results in major games since before former coach Pep Guardiola started the club's winning era in 2008.
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"We come from major defeats and we should all give more to change the situation," said Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who will be aiming to extend his league record of scoring in 16 straight matches.
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"We know that the match against Milan will be key to helping us make important changes."
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Barcelona are on course to reclaim the league title with an 11-point lead over nearest chaser Atletico Madrid. But to boost their prospects against Milan, they must find their attacking flair and shore up their defence on Saturday. While Barcelona's attack has sputtered in recent games, their defence has been even worse by conceding goals in their last 13 matches.
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Deportivo are in last place and eight points from salvation, and have yet to win away from home this season in 13 tries.
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"Barcelona have had some results they didn't expect and you never know if that means it's better or worse to play them now," veteran Deportivo midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron said. "We won't waste our opportunities, even though we know it will be tough.
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They have an important game this week so maybe we have options to get a good result."
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Malaga have a more difficult run-up to their Champions League match against FC Porto on Wednesday when they must come back from a 1-0 loss in the first leg to advance to the quarterfinals.
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Malaga visit Valladolid on Saturday and need a victory to ensure they hold onto fourth place and the last Champions League spot for next season, although their focus will likely be on this year's European campaign with them facing a one-season ban from Uefa competitions for not paying wages and taxes on time.