Barcelona go from Suarez-Neymar to Alcacer-Deulofeu

It has been a challenging summer in the transfer market for Barcelona with Neymar leaving the club and primary targets not being brought in, and with Los Cules beginning the season against Real Betis on Sunday they have to adjust to life with Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu in attack rather than Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Missing Suarez is a new situation for the Blaugrana with the forward only absent for eight matches last season, with six of those actually being a tactical decision made by Luis Enrique.

He will miss a minimum of five games in this injury lay-off to constitute the first period Barcelona have really had to plan without the striker since his biting suspension that marred his arrival from Liverpool.

Lionel Messi will thus be entrusted with carrying the team in the coming weeks and this is something the Argentine had been worried about prior to the transfer window.

Alcacer didn't enjoy the best debut season at the Camp Nou but then that can happen at such a big club; his return of eight goals in 27 games wasn't enough and he'll have to start this season much better.

The case of Deulofeu is different entirely with the young winger having been sold to Everton after being adjudged not to be at the required level.

A buy-back clause was inserted into the deal, the norm with Los Cules, but it wasn't until a six-month loan spell in Milan last season that the Spaniard finally began to play to his potential.

Barcelona supporters will be hoping that they can expect the Milan Deulofeu on Sunday night and not the inconsistent winger that Ronald Koeman blacklisted from his Everton team.

Valverde made perfectly clear the confidence he has in his makeshift forward line in Saturday's pre-match press conference.

"It is a good opportunity for [Alcacer], he finished last season well when he played and yes I think he can seize this moment," he explained.