Wounded Barca face tough Betis test, Madrid host Almeria after Cup exit

The Catalans were thrashed in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, leading to a week of soul searching ahead of the trip to Seville. After an unconvincing win over third-tier Unionistas de Salamanca in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, pressure still weighs on Xavi's shoulders with the Spanish champions' top four ambitions under threat.

Barcelona are fourth, level with third-place Athletic Bilbao on 41 points, who visit Valencia on Saturday. League leaders Girona host Sevilla and Real Madrid, second, welcome bottom side Almeria on Sunday. Manuel Pellegrini's Betis, seventh, are still aiming for Europe themselves.

Xavi said this week he would walk away from his job if he felt his players did not believe in him. The team came up short in Riyadh as they were dismantled by their arch-rivals Madrid and Xavi criticised the performance as "lacking in every way". Last season Barca won the Spanish Super Cup, which was Xavi's first trophy at the helm of the club, and it was a key milestone on the way to lifting La Liga.

Without the financial leverage to make signings in January, the coach must make do with what he has as he bids to turn the team's form around. Xavi lamented the long-term loss of Gavi through injury, with the midfielder's tenacity missing in recent matches. "We lack Gavi's leadership, his heart," said the coach.

"The injury to Gavi is a dagger in the heart, he is the soul of the team, that's the reality." Without first choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, also out, the team has lacked security at the back.

Barcelona have been particularly bad in the first halves of matches, frequently falling behind early on. Their defence is far weaker than last season, having already conceded more goals than in that whole