Barca-Espanyol another derby

Discussion in 'Barcelona' started by krazbo, Dec 13, 2003.

  1. krazbo

    krazbo New Member

    Sep 23, 2003
    Ljubljana, SI
    by http://www.soccerage.com/en/13/s0308.html
    Such is the miserable form of both teams, it is difficult to say just who is the underdog coming into this Catalan derby.
    Obviously Barcelona enter the match as favourites, but make no mistake, they are a club with deep problems.
    Coach Frank Rijkaard was criticised for his first-half tactics during the 2-1 derby defeat to Real Madrid last week. With Xavi and Thiago Motta occupying the wings, Patrick Kluivert was starved of the ball, and it was only with the introduction of Marc Overmars and Riccardo Quaresma at half-time, that Barca started to play. Roberto Carlos and Michel Salgado were pinned back, and as a result, Barca started to create chances. Something that was not happening in the first-half. But by the time Kluivert had headed in a Quaresma corner, the damage had already been done, and Real held out for their first Camp Nou victory since 1983.
    Espanyol sports director Joan Collet felt his team were the victims of some bad refereeing decisions in the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid last weekend, and launched a scathing attack on the league.
    "They are trying to dump us from the competition. It's not worth us playing any games, anymore," he argued. "There are idiots out there who are trying to make us look like idiots.
    "I believe they are trying their best to make sure we don't win again this season so they can say we were relegated because we had a useless squad.
    "This competition is sh**, if they don't want us then we'll leave. But they do not have a right every Sunday to make us suffer the way we have."
    Nevertheless, Espanyol are a poor side this season, and unless new coach Luis Fernandez can turn things around quickly, there is only one way they are headed.
    Since he took charge, Fernandez has won just one game in five, with the team scoring only twice in the process.

    LATEST TEAM NEWS
    Espanyol: Lopo returns after missing out against Atletico through suspension. Lemmens, Bertrán and Camara are all out injured. Tamudo will partner Maxi up front.
    Barcelona: Ronaldinho is still suffering from injury and could not train on Friday. He may miss out. Puyol has an ankle injury, but is suspended anyway. Márquez or Cocu will replace him in the defence. Quaresma and Overmars are set to start on the wings for Barca who have lost their last three games on the trot.
    PROBABLE LINE-UPS
    RCD Espanyol: Toni; Tayfun, Domoraud, Lopo, Soldevilla, Wome, Morales, De La Peña, Alex, Maxi, Tamudo.
    Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Gabri, Reiziger, Cocu or Márquez, Van Bronckhorst; Xavi, Gerard or Cocu; Quaresma, Ronaldinho, Overmars; Kluivert.
    PLAYERS TO WATCH
    Ivan de la Pena (Espanyol): the 'little Buddha' will be keen to impress against his former club.
    Marc Overmars (Barcelona): 'speedy Gonzalez' made an impact when coming on against Real last week, and is set to be rewarded with a start here.
     
  2. Mario

    Mario New Member

    Mar 11, 2000
    San Salvador, El Sal
    we better spank them or I will never change my avatar back to FCB!
     
  3. krazbo

    krazbo New Member

    Sep 23, 2003
    Ljubljana, SI
    We won against Espanyol

    Final score: Espanyol- Barca: 1-3

    goals for Barca: Ronaldinho (10 min), Kluivert (20 min, 35 min)

    Ronnie is back, we havel started winning again!!!!:D
    You will not believe who was our GK: RUSTU ole, ole and we won :D

    Our squad: Rustu, Gabri, Reiziger, Marquez, GvB; Xavi, Cocu; Quaresma, Overmars, Ronnie and Kluivert
    sub.: Gerard for Ronnie, LE21 for Overmars, Anderson for Kluivert

    Ouch, 6 red cards: Marquez, Quaresma (bouth two yellows) and Cocu for Barca. For Espanyol: Ivan de la Pena, Soldevila and Lopo.

    I tought the game is going to be on Sunday, damm it, I didnt watch it. How did they played?
     
  4. krazbo

    krazbo New Member

    Sep 23, 2003
    Ljubljana, SI
    After Boca- Milan game you can give Barca logo back:D
     
  5. Mario

    Mario New Member

    Mar 11, 2000
    San Salvador, El Sal
    Re: We won against Espanyol

    now i wonder who will play CB in our next match puyol and anderson??? overmaars and garcia as wingers ok but CM's? are we back to rely on Xavi-Gerard?
     
  6. Mario

    Mario New Member

    Mar 11, 2000
    San Salvador, El Sal
    well yeah
     
  7. krazbo

    krazbo New Member

    Sep 23, 2003
    Ljubljana, SI
    Re: Re: We won against Espanyol

    Atleast not Cocu as central defender, yeah but basicly you have right. It should be interesting.
    Perhaps Iniesta in the midfield, he is the man in U-21 WC.
     
  8. krazbo

    krazbo New Member

    Sep 23, 2003
    Ljubljana, SI
    Derby win ends bad run (1-3) - report

    Barca took all three points at the Montjuich Stadium with a convincing 1-3 win after going behind early on in a game marred by six sendings off.
    The win puts an end to the team's run of bad results and confirms their excellent away form this season. Rijkaard rang the changes and two Kluivert goals and one from Ronaldinho proved more than enough to finish off an Espanyol team left looking into the abyss of second division football next year.
    Rustu and Ronaldinho were the main changes in Rijkaards line up, with Marquez stepping up to join Reiziger at the back and Cocu accompanying Xavi in the middle. Kluivert had a one-on-one with the Espanyol keeper almost right from kick off, but the ref blew for a very doubtful offside.
    Overmars then came close, lobbing the keeper only for a defender to clear off the line. It was Espanyol who went ahead though, when Jordi Cruyff slipped in behind the defence and headed home a De la Peña cross. Barca didn't need long to draw level though, Ronaldinho scoring two minutes later after good work from Kluivert and Overmars out on the left.
    On 20 minutes, Barca's Dutch hit man put his team ahead latching onto a Gabri cross and then 15 minutes later he got his second, pouncing on a mistake by the Espanyol keeper from a Ronaldinho corner to confirm his best performance of the season so far.
    Things began to get a little heated now, with referee Pino Zamorano showing three yellows to each side (Lopo, Soldevilla and Raúl Tamudo for Espanyol and Reiziger, Márquez and Quaresma for Barça), but he really upset the home players and their fans by showing De la Peña a straight red. Just before half time, Espanyol came close to getting a second, but Toni Soldevilla's header hit the post.
    Everybody off!
    Pino Zamorano continued to take center stage after the break, when the game degenerated completely. First to get his marching orders was Rafa Marquez after just one minute, for a foul and his second yellow. Soon after Quaresma followed him after the man in the middle had seen a pretty dubious foul and Barca switched from having an extra man to having one less with nearly all the second half to play.
    Fifteen minutes in, Ronaldinho was replaced by Gerard to stiffen the midfield, especially in the air and it was the local lad who was involved in a bit of handbags that saw him receive a yellow and Soldevilla sent off. The red cards didn't end there though, with Cocu getting yet another for fouling Tamudo when he was the last man on 65 minutes.
    With just 8 players left on the pitch, Gerard moved to center half and Luis Enrique came on for Overmars to lend a steadying hand to the final 20 minutes. It was the cappy who nearly made it four after good work from Gabri and Toni Velamazán and Wome both came close for Espanyol.
    Finally, with just two minutes left to play, Lopo made it six red cards when he picked up his second for a foul on Kluivert, who was soon replaced for the final minutes by Patrick Andersson.
     
  9. elchico

    elchico Member

    Dec 13, 2003
    Lebanon
    I watched the whole game. very entertaining first half. Ronnie goal took a lucky bounce but it was a nice play nontheless. both kluivert goals were great. He was masterful the whole game. 2nd half was like watching a game from an unknown sport. 5 red cards in 2nd half alone. However we had 3 must score chances wasted. First overmars ran the length of the field alone after a corner but failed to get past the keeper one on one (he had a gr8 game though). Then Gabri passed to LE21 with no goalkeeper in the penalty area but somehow he missed it. Then gabri was put through amazingly by Hatrick Kluivert but wanted to do too much instead of just shooting and wated another goal. Rustu should stay on as keeper. He has a very intimidating presence and made an amazing save. let's face it, Valdes will not be the next Casillas. He's simply not that great. So, all in all, we played a pretty good game, could have scored 6 easily. For the next game, am I alone to think that Saviola could easily play in Quaresma's place? He certainly has the speed and tricks to do it. I'm really not at all a fan of Garcia and I think Saviola would be much better, even if playing out of position. I also ask myself this question, don't you guys think it would be amazing if in general, our starting lineup always consists of these 5 : Overmars Quarezma (wings), Ronaldinho (Att.Mid), Kluivert and Saviola in attack. I honestly think they can be as good as Real's 5 (Becks, Figo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo). Defensively we can have puyol,Marquez,Xavi,Gerrard,Van Bronk.
    Do u agree?
    btw, i am a lebanese Barca fanatic and dutchman 4ever
     
  10. Rommul

    Rommul Member

    Aug 26, 2003
    NYC
    Re: We won against Espanyol

    You would think it was some dirty game but nothing could be further from the truth.

    The game was somewhat entertaining but the ref needed to be lynched.

    Not just for the calls he made (most of which were non fouls and undeserving of even a foul let alone a a yellow) but some of the calls he absolutely blew.

    I still don't know why quaresma got the boot.

    I saw an Espanyol player get obstructed by a Barca player and a minute later I see Quaresma walking to the sidelines. It could have been for arguing for all i know.

    Cocu's red was deserved. He was about to be beat leaving a 1v1 with the keeper for an Espanyol attacker and he simply tackled the man.

    This ref should not be in La Liga next year.

    It was comical.

    Kluivert scored his second on a nice bounce from a ball that was on the way up (nice timing and touch).

    Ronnaldihno didn't do much of anything but was clearly not back to being himself and was subbed out. I am a big Ronnie fan but he is not 100% yet. His goal was a deflection that was not much to write home about.

    Rustu was solid (why did it take so long to get him in the lineup?) in goal and made some good saves.

    Overmars played well and should have started the Real game.

    Good game marred (much better than the Perugia v Sampdoria contest) by a ref who couldn't control the participants.
     

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