Defending La Liga champion Barcelona will try to tie Real Madrid in the table and also capture its second consecutive victory in league play when it hosts Eibar this Sunday at the Nou Camp. 

Barca is currently third in the La Liga table with 18 points tied with second placer Celta Vigo. 

Manager Luis Enrique's squad is coming off two consecutive wins in its past matches, beating Rayo Vallecano 5–2 in La Liga and BATE Borisov 2–0 in the Champions League. 

But Blaugrana will have to try and win without club star Lionel Messi who is missing time due to a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) suffered last month. 

The International Business Times reported that along with Messi, midfielders Rafinha and Sergi Roberto, and defender Thomas Vermaelen are also out against Eibar. 

Despite Messi's absence, Barca can rely on their efficient strikers Neymar and Luis Suárez. 

Meanwhile, Eibar is on a four-match unbeaten streak in La Liga play but only won once in those outings.

The Basques mustered draws with Levante (2–2), Celta Vigo (1–1), and Sevilla (1–1), with the only victory coming against Las Palmas (2–0). 

According to the International Business Times, Eibar dropped both its meetings with the champions last season and will be hoping for a different outcome this Sunday. 

The report added that Eibar will be playing without defender Ivan Ramis, left back Antonio Luna, and midfielder Adrián González Morales who are all injured. 

A win for the Basques will give them 16 points which will tie the fourth and fifth placed clubs in the table in Atletico Madrid and Villarreal. Currently, Eibar has 13 points and is in a tie with seventh placed club Deportivo La Coruña. 

The La Liga match between defending champion Barcelona and Eibar will be held this today, Oct. 25, at 1:15 p.m. EST. To watch via live stream, click here.