Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Huesca and Barcelona from the Estadio El Alcoraz. Barca beat second-placed Atletico Madrid last weekend to open up an 11-point lead at the summit, while Huesca sit bottom of the table, six points behind 17th-placed Real Valladolid. It is first against last in Spain's top flight this afternoon - be sure to stay tuned!

TEAMS!

HUESCA: Santamaria; Galan, Pulido, Etxeita, Miramon; Gomez, Rivera, Junapi; Ferreiro, Enric, Avila

BARCA: Ter Stegen; Wague, Murillo, Todibo, Umtiti; Alena, Vidal, Puig; Malcom, Boateng, Dembele

Huesca are again without Carlos Akapo and Luisinho through injury, but Jorge Miramon is fit enough to start this afternoon. On-loan Watford forward Cucho Hernandez would have been hoping to keep his spot in attack, but David Ferreiro is given the nod alongside Ezequiel Avila, who has eight La Liga goals to his name this season. Looks to be a 4-3-3 for the hosts once again.

As for Barca, only Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains from the team that started against Manchester United during the week. There are first-team debuts for Moussa Wague and Jean-Clair Todibo, while Riqui Puig and Jeison Murillo both make their La Liga debuts. There is first-team experience in the shape of Samuel Umtiti, Arturo Vidal and Malcom, though, while Ousmane Dembele also starts having recovered from a hamstring problem.

Barca recorded an 8-2 win in the first ever La Liga meeting between the two teams earlier this season. These two sides also met in the Copa del Rey during the 2014-15 campaign, with Barca running out 12-1 winners on aggregate, following a 4-0 away success with an 8-1 victory on home soil.

KICKOFF:  Barca kick things off this afternoon...

... it must be said that there is a wonderful atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon. Huesca really, really need the points and Barca's XI is absolutely fascinating for this one!

As expected, Barca have taken control of the early possession, with Puig already seeing plenty of the ball in the middle of the park. As expected, Boateng is through the middle for the visitors while Malcom and Dembele operate out wide. It is very much a second-string XI.

An own goal from Luke Shaw saw Barca record a 1-0 win over Man United in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. The return match at Camp Nou will take place next week and therefore it is not a surprise to see so many changes. End-to-end stuff at the moment with both teams showing decent movement in the final third.

Valverde has earned that luxury with Barca dominant in Spain's top flight this season. Indeed, the Catalan giants - 2-0 winners over second-placed Atletico last weekend - are currently 11 points clear at the top of the division, having won 22, drawn seven and lost just two of their 31 league matches this term. Messi has been left out here, but Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique were actually both banned.

The fact that Barca are so comfortable in the league means that they will be able to concentrate on the Champions League, but United played well against the Catalan side on Wednesday night and are certainly not out of the quarter-final with at least another 90 minutes of football to come. Still goalless with 10 minutes on the clock here and not too much is happening.

Huesca win their first corner of the match following smart work from Avila, but it comes to nothing and Barca can clear down the field. Neither goalkeeper has been worked thus far.

CLOSE!  Half-chance for the home side, but Pulido's header drops wide of the Barca post.

Barca will face Valencia in the final of the Copa del Rey next month as they attempt to land a treble this season. The Catalan giants have the best away record in the league this term, meanwhile, having gathered 34 points from their 15 away fixtures, suffering just one defeat in the process.

This is not a great game at the moment to be brutally honest. Barca are struggling to make things work in the final third and Boateng has just been ruled offside once again.

SAVE!  Super save from Santamaria to keep out a close-range attempt from Dembele, who had been released inside the box. It is really good work from the home side's stopper here.

SAVE!  Another smart save form Santamaria to tip Todibo's header over the crossbar.

It would be a shock if Barca did not collect another three points this afternoon, but there is no question that the club would take a defeat if it meant overcoming Man United at Camp Nou on Tuesday night to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, where either Liverpool or Porto will be waiting. Still goalless with 21 minutes on the clock inside this wonderful little ground.

Huesca finished second in the Segunda Division last term to earn a spot in the top flight for the first time. They were actually playing Segunda B football as recently as 2015 but are now in the big time. All things considered, Huesca deserve huge praise for their form this season.

It is going to be tough to escape the bottom three, but just six points separate Huesca from 17th-placed Valladolid and are therefore still in with a chance of avoiding relegation back to the second tier. Five wins, nine draws and 17 defeats - that is how Huesca have performed this term.

Huesca actually beat Sevilla on home soil early last month, while they have drawn their last two against Celta Vigo and Levante. It is a big ask for them to overcome Barca this afternoon, but they have a huge game away to Rayo Vallecano next weekend, which is so, so important.

This is just the second ever La Liga meeting between Huesca and Barca. In the reverse match at Camp Nou, the home side recorded an 8-2 win, while the Catalan giants ran out 4-0 winners when they travelled to Huesca in the Copa del Rey during the 2014-15 campaign.

Nothing much from Boateng in the final third of the field this afternoon, while Malcom has also struggled to make his mark. Dembele has been the threatening for Barca on his return, though.

Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining and we are still goalless here. Barca have shaded the match in terms of overall work, but not too much has happened to be honest.

Alba, Coutinho, Arthur and Semedo are amongst those on the Barca bench this afternoon, but Messi has been left out while Luis Suarez is suspended. Could be a game for Coutinho.

It is also very neat and tidy from Barca in the middle of the park, but no real cutting edge, which is perhaps not too much of a surprise with so many of their first-team stars missing here.

Pass, pass, pass from Barca as they attempt to work some space in a forward position, but Huesca continue to defend well. So far, so good for the league's basement side here.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has just sent a Dembele cross wide of the post, but the offside flag came to the on-loan attacker's rescue as Barca's struggles in the final third continue.

SHOT!  Half-chance for the home side, but Enric strikes wide of the Barca post.

YELLOW CARD!  Todibo (Barcelona) picks up the game's first booking for a foul on Enric.

Should not imagine that there will be too much in the way of added time at the end of the first period, with not many stoppages taking place. Still goalless in this top-flight affair.

SHOT!  Moi Gomez misses the Barca goal with a strike from outside the box.

HALF TIME:  HUESCA 0-0 BARCELONA

So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with the two teams level at 0-0. In truth, it has not been the best of matches. Both sides have had some decent moments in the final third of the field, but neither has done enough to deserve to be ahead at this stage.

STATISTICS! Barca had 79% of the ball in the first period, managing two shots on target from four attempts. Huesca, meanwhile, had three shots without testing Ter Stegen. Just the one yellow card to report and that came for Barca debutant Todibo in the 43rd minute of action.

BENCH WATCH! Alba, Coutinho, Arthur and Semedo are amongst those on the Barca bench this afternoon, while Gallar, Cucho and Herrera are on an attacking Huesca bench. You do get the feeling that this is the type of match that could be won by a substitute in the second period.

KICKOFF:  Huesca resume the action here...

... no changes from either side at the break, but I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period develops. Let's hope for more entertainment!

Barca have been the team on the front foot in the early stages of the second period, but no half-chances or positive moments to speak about. It has been hard work, this game.

Huesca have the chance to threaten from a free kick which Juanpi delivers, but Umtiti is on hand to make the clearance and Barca can move down the field through Malcom.

You do get the feeling that Huesca might never have a better chance to beat Barca, but the home side are struggling to really seize the opportunity to take control of this contest.

SAVE!  Decent save from Ter Stegen to keep out an attempt from Enric.

Huesca eventually deliver the corner - from the Ter Stegen save - into the Barca box, but Todibo is on hand to make the clearance. The visitors break, but Dembele is offside.

CHANCE!  Big chance for Dembele from a Wague cross, but the Frenchman fires wide!

OFF THE POST!  Malcom strikes the Huesca post with a powerful effort before Alena sees his effort deflected wide of the goal! Finally some moments of entertainment in this match.

HUESCA SUB! Melero replaces Juanpi for the home side.

Little under 30 minutes of normal time remaining here and you do get the feeling that a goal is coming as both teams start to commit more players in the final third of the field.

Barca are preparing to make their first change here, which is not a surprise.

SHOT!  Dembele misses the Huesca goal with a strike as the score stays goalless here.

BARCA SUBS! Alba and Coutinho replace Dembele and Puig for the away side.

Ferreiro delivers a dangerous cross into the Barca box, but Umtiti is on hand to make the clearance and the resulting corner is also headed clear. Little over 20 minutes remaining here.

HUESCA SUB! The home side make their second change as Cucho replaces Ferreiro.

Barca build down the left through Alba, but Huesca are nice and compact in a defensive position and manage to clear their lines once again. No sign of the first goal here.

Some nasty challenges going in at the moment, one of which leaves Murillo on the deck.

Murillo is fine to return for Barca as we head for the final 10 minutes of action.

Barca are the team in control of the possession here, but not too much is happening. Huesca's back four are pretty comfortable as they continue to defend their lines.

Pass, pass, pass from Barca as they continue to look for openings here.

BARCA SUB! Arthur replaces Alena in Barca's final change.

Huesca manage to break forward through Cucho, but there are no takers on the attacker's cross into the box, allowing Barca to break forward through Malcom once again.

All Barca in terms of pressure at the moment, but they keep losing the ball in the final third of the field. Huesca deserve at least a point from this match, and they are close to getting it.

Huesca have the chance to deliver a free kick into the Barca box, but it is really good work from Ter Stegen and the champions can race forward through Vidal, who is hacked down.

HUESCA SUB! Gallar replaces Avila for the home side.

If there is going to be a winner then it has to come in the next couple of minutes.

YELLOW CARD!  Wague (Barca) is booked for a foul on Gallar.

We are into the second of three minutes of added time here.

YELLOW CARD!  Pulido (Huesca) is booked for a foul on Vidal.

Not long left here and it does not appear that either side are going to score.

FULL TIME:  HUESCA 0-0 BARCELONA

So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with the two teams sharing the points in a goalless draw. Not a classic to be honest! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live minute-by-minute coverage once again. Until next time!