PBP: Copa del Rey Final | Athletic Bilbao v FC Barcelona | 25 May 2012 [R]

Viscaelbarca - thanks for a whole season full of great match threads! And special thanks for getting this one up early. I was about to post this relevant ZM analysis of the Bilbao-AtlMadrid match in the other teams thread but it fits better here. First a remarkable quote: Diego Simeone named his expected line-up – Tiago was suspended, so Mario Suarez and Gabi played in the centre of midfield. None of the starting XI started the 2010 final.

Remarkable is the 2nd sentence, contrast that with our general continuity in the last 3 years of Pep.

Here's the link to the whole thing, a good read as always, hopefully we can learn something from it: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/05...c-bilbao-falcao-wins-the-europa-league-again/

The new tournament logo as released by the RFEF on March 7.

So about the best (only?) 4 person D we can mount is Montoya-Pique-Masch-Adriano in front of Pinto. We look to have our normal first choice midfield X-B-I. Then we have Messi up front with two of Sanchez, Pedro, Cesc, Cuenca, Affelay, or Tello.

They won't be available for this game, but doctors are optimistic about Villa's imminent return (maybe in time for Euros) and Abidal's possible recovery this summer.

I'm going to be in San Francisco for this one... can any of you NoCal folks recommend a good Barça-friendly spot in downtown or SoMa?

Much as I have enjoyed Spain's success I would prefer if Villa, like Puyol, misses the Euros. Even if he makes the squad - which seems less and less likely - it is hard to see him getting much PT.

If Abidal ever plays for Barca or France again I will be surprised (less it is a friendly / celebratory send off game). I am no doctor, but I have read that the anti-rejection meds one takes after a transplant are tend to sap one's stamina.

In San Francisco downtown/SoMa I don't know of any Barca-identified spots but the most football-mad spot is surely Steff's sports bar 141 2nd Street between Mission and Howard (really between Minna alley and Natoma alley). Multiple screens and you can bring in outside food so long as you buy a drink there - their menu is very limited (cheap hot dogs or corn dogs, chips, free popcorn). I don't work downtown on Fridays or I'd try to join you there (Fridays I work at my daughter's co-op preschool in the a.m. and then from home so I'll be streaming the game at home).

Considering that 2 of Spain's 3 friendlies leading-up to the Euros are the same week at the CdR final, I just can't see how Villa has any chance at all to make it. If he can't make the CdR final, then he can't make the pre-tournament friendlies either.

Yeah, I don't think Villa will be ready or should be hurried into the Euros, but it's encouraging that he's doing ball work already. A full summer of training for him should be promising for the fall.

Thanks, Gil! Steff's appears to be just a few blocks from the big conference hotel where I'll be, so I'll probably watch there. Too bad you'll be elsewhere. Like probably most folks here, I've always been curious to know what fellow BS'ers are like in person. (Well, not the LPB crowd.)

Why wasn't this game scheduled before the CL final? shouldn't the CL final be the last game of the club season for the big leagues anyway? This just hurts preparation for the Euros.

What did the timing in was that they had 1 date picked if neither team had a conflicting final, and another date if either team had a conflicting final. We failed to make our final but Bilbao made their earlier Europa League final. There was no 3rd date scheduled if they but not us made their final.

I know someone thought I was complaining before when I brought it up, but whoever the idiot was that signed off on the Clasico going in between the two Champions League semi-finals should be fired. I know a computer might make the schedule, but my argument is that it hurt both Madrid and Barcelona. We didn't get to rest any players, 3 matches in 6 days or 8 days is really hard. No doubt fatigue played a factor.

You didn't have to be a scholar to figure that at least one of Barcelona or Madrid would be in the semis. As it was, both were in the semis. Yes, now my crying is done.

I'd rather have a computer randomly develop the fixture calendar. Occasionally this bad luck will happen but Madrid and Barca shouldn't get even more favoritism over the other clubs around Europe. Chelsea had a tough match against Arsenal too between those semifinal legs. Of course they weren't involved in a title-race so they didn't go all-out to win that game, but you don't know that at the beginning of the season when the schedule is created.

The final was originally scheduled for Sunday May 20, the day after the CL final. But the RFEF let it be known from the start that if a club reached both the Copa final and the CL final then the Copa final would be pushed back to Friday May 25. Wednesday May 2nd (which was originally an open midweek) would have probably been an option but the players' strike at the start of the season forced May 1-3 to be used to make up for Jornada 1.
After Barcelona were knocked out of the CL on April 24, Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque asked for the Copa final be brought forward to Wednesday May 16 but the RFEF declined the request. I never found out why they said no but I'm guessing they felt it may have caused an organizational mess (for the venue, clubs, supporters travel plans, etc) if the date was suddenly moved from the confirmed date of May 25.

You're right, they shouldn't get favouritism. There's no way to know how the season would go. I was wrong to say what I did.

Cool graphic of games played, minutes, and goals scored in Copa games for projected starters (I got from BarcaStuff but it is from Sport):

Alexis and Pinto cleared to play. While I'm glad Pep stays classy and only plays his #2 keeper in Copa matches it would not have been the end of the world if Pinto was "unfit".
With these expected clearances I think that the Sport graphic lineup I posted just above looks very likely. The exceptions would be if a Cesc or Cuenca played in lieu of Pedro or Alexis but I gotta think Pep plays Pedro in this farewell game (and impressing here may be Pedro's last chance to make the Spanish squad for Euros).

I have not read the whole thing as I'm a bit crazed at work right now - vacation next week - but this looks like a worthwhile read: http://www.totalbarca.com/2012/analysis/tactical-preview-fc-barcelona-vs-athletic-bilbao-2/

Nothing yet posted from Zonal Marking but we can hope there's a before and an after as I know Pep and Bielsa provide lots of grist for the tactical analysis mill.

It's been a dissapointing season, lets end it on a high and win the Copa.