Saturday the 29th of March 2014 | BARCELONA (CET), 16:00 | LOS ANGELES (PDT), 08:00 | MONTREAL (EDT), 11:00 | LONDON (GMT), 15:00 | MELBOURNE (AEDT), 02:00 (NEXT DAY) Convert to your local time Estadi Cornellà-El Prat Barcelona Previous Meetings Jornada 12 | La Liga BBVA 13/14 | FC Barcelona 1-0 RCD Espanyol | 1 November 2013 Thu 30/05/13 CAT Espanyol 1 - 1P Barcelona Mon 27/05/13 PRD Espanyol 0 - 2 Barcelona Sun 06/01/13 PRD Barcelona 4 - 0 Espanyol Sun 06/05/12 PRD Barcelona 4 - 0 Espanyol Mon 09/01/12 PRD Espanyol 1 - 1 Barcelona Sun 08/05/11 PRD Barcelona 2 - 0 Espanyol Sun 19/12/10 PRD Espanyol 1 - 5 Barcelona REFEREE GENERAL STATS + PREVIOUS MEETINGS PLAYER STATS PREVIOUS MATCH STATS
Let's take care of business. No repeats of the Tamudazo, please. Espanyol can be a huge pain in the arse even on a regular Liga jornada. Expect a war-- they'd love nothing more than to derail us. Aguirre is a perfect coach for their trolling ways too. edit: then again, we can "afford" a draw, then win out the rest of the games and potentially win the league on tiebreaker at 94 points for all 3 clubs (us, LPB, and Atleti). Craziness.
No slip ups, need a great squad even with the CL match lurking on Tuesday morning, and despite this being the 3rd match in 7 days and part of 4 in 10 days stretch (Clasico Sunday, Celta Weds, this Derbi tomorrow Sat, Atletico next Tues). Fortunately we rested five of our "core players" against Celta: Xavi, Alves, Pique, Busquets, and Pedro. I'd like to see all of them start, and expect to see at least 4 start, Pedro the only question mark as Tata seems to like the all S.Am. M-A-N forward trident. Here's my guess: Pinto Alves-Pique-Masch-Alba (could also see Adriano spell Alba, or Bartra spell Masch - I'd like both) Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta (could see Cesc spell Iniesta too, which I'd like to see just to spell Ini a bit) Pedro-Messi-Neymar (could easily see Sanchez spelling Neymar, really hope not Alexis over Pedro though) Then come Atletico I think we are back to the 3 attacking midfielders we've been using lately in huge games: Pinto Alves-Pique-Masch-Alba Xavi-Busquets-Cesc ????-Messi-Iniesta (I'd like ???? to be Alexis, my second choice Pedro, but if I bet on Tata's choice it would be Neymar). Hope I can watch the Derbi live but I'm off on spring break with the family tomorrow, heading to Carpinteria, so might just be following on this thread via smartphone.
Espanyol away is always tough. Although sometimes I like to think that Iniesta's World Cup gesture to Dani Jarque has only helped ease relations between the two clubs. Espanyolistas - along with most throughout Spain - have applauded Iniesta whenever he gets subbed off/in. But, yes, a win is crucial and would put even more pressure on Atletico Madrid, who play in Bilbao later in the day (night).
I don't believe it, I FINISH WORK AT 16.00 so I will miss the match and to think I asked for the early shift as I thought I might only miss the 1st half as it would start at 16.00 UK time
Early morning for me. Earlier in the season, I wouldn't bother getting up for a match, but now that it's do-or-die time, I'm going to kick my fandom into gear.
I am going to ask to leave at 15.30 so I can get home for 16.00 and catch the 2nd half and hope the boss man says it's cool
TotalBarca's prediction and squad list: Alex Song is out with a calf knock, Carles Puyol and Jonathan Dos Santos are also injured. Once again, Martín Montoya is left out as is Isaac Cuenca and Ibrahim Afellay. Iniesta has been included, but is unlikely to start, and should rather rest for Atletí. Tata’s previous line-ups before a big clash tend to include most the starters for that clash, preferring to fine tune the plan rather than rest the legs. Predicted Starting XI: Pinto; Alves, Mascherano, Piqué, Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Fàbregas, Pedro, Messi, Neymar Match Squad (18): Pinto, Olazábal, Piqué, Fàbregas, Xavi, Pedro, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Neymar Jr., Mascherano, Bartra, Sergio, Jordi Alba, Tello, Adriano, Dani Alves, Sergi Roberto.
Injured late October, surgery in early November, "6 month" type injury (same as VV with a torn ACL) so the only way we see him is at the very end of a game we have already won, just so the fans can cheer his recovery (ala Affelay whom we haven't seen since his couple cameos, and we haven't seen Cuenca at all, though Cuenca had a set back) but in now way does he play meaningful minutes this season, even if we had a couple midfielders injured I think we'd be better off with a fit player from Barca B. Also with ACL injuries, while the recovery time has gotten a tad shorter over the years 6 months is just for returning to the field but rarely are you at your best, esp. in terms of confidence (trusting your body), for a longer period.
Can't rep you because of the contents of the video are too depressing I remember that day and it was surreal. Both goals happening basically in the same minute was just too crazy. What I didn't remember is that it was the game of the Hand of Messiah. I could swear it was earlier in the season.
That was back in the day when I was a "stream virgin". I was literally following the match against Espanyol here on Big Soccer (before I joined). I remember a poster suggested that everyone adopt an Argentina flag as their avatar if the results held ( ). That feels like such a long time ago...
official: neymar---------messi----------pedro -----------cesc-----------xavi---------- alba-------------busi-------------alves ---------masch--------pique----------- -----------------pinto------------------- bench: oier, adriano, bartra, roberto, iniesta, alexis, tello
OK not great nor English: http://www.sportlemon.tv/20140308/vv531a5473e16295.23043148-764788.html we still don't have great record in those jerseys though I understand wearing them in this game
I also didn't remember that the Hand of Messiah was that same game. Yeah, not looking for rep there, just some guarded confidence going into this game. I also don't trust this ref, Clos Gomez...