PREVIEW-Soccer-Barcelona try to focus on football after more chaos

After another turbulent week off the pitch, Barcelona will try to focus on football when they host Eibar on Saturday with the chance to keep the heat on title rivals Real Madrid.

It was reported on Monday that Barcelona had contracted a third party, I3 ventures, to monitor social media coverage and that the company had made disparaging posts about players Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique as well as club greats Xavi Hernandez and Pep Guardiola, plus future presidential candidate Victor Font. Barca admitted to contracting I3 ventures, but president Josep Maria Bartomeu said suggestions the firm was responsible for the negative posts were "completely false".

The scandal was the latest setback for Barca in a bumpy 2020 during which they have sacked Ernesto Valverde as coach and appointed Ernesto Valverde, and captain Messi has spoken out against sporting director Eric Abidal. "The truth is that since January we have had problem after problem," Messi told newspaper Mundo Deportivo on Thursday.

"What we need to do is stay calm and think about football and try to keep growing. We need to isolate ourselves from everything because if we don't we'll have a difficult few months ahead of us." The Argentine said he had spoken to Bartomeu about the situation and been assured the accounts were not linked to Barca, but he described the whole episode as "strange".

The match with Eibar could see Martin Braithwaite make his debut for Barcelona after switching from struggling Leganes as the club were given permission to sign a player outside of a transfer window. Barca trail La Liga leaders Real Madrid by one point after 24 games and can put Zinedine Zidane's side under pressure ahead of their game at Levante later on Saturday, a week after they stumbled to a 2-2 home draw with Celta Vigo.

Real will look to Eden Hazard for inspiration after the Belgian made a promising return to action against Celta, almost three months after suffering a serious ankle injury. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid host Villarreal after their impressive 1-0 win over Champions League holders Liverpool, while third-placed Getafe entertain Sevilla in a match that could be crucial to the top-four hopes of both teams.

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