Jorge Valdano issues David Villa fear

Former Real Madrid general manager Jorge Valdano fears that David Villa could become a fringe player at Barcelona.

Ahead of Saturday's meeting between Spain's leading sides, Valdano believes that if Villa fails to feature in Pep Guardiola's starting lineup, it could trigger a slip down the Nou Camp pecking order for the 30-year-old striker.

"It would not surprise me if Barcelona played Alexis [instead of Villa], who has found the net of late," Valdano told Marca.

"This game is key; if he is not selected it could condemn Villa to a secondary role, and he does not deserve this.

"There are also players like Pedro who have put in superb performances against Madrid in the past."

Villa joined Barca in 2010 from Valencia.