Wednesday, 18 October 2017 20:45 Barcelona Time CAMP NOU PREVIOUS MEETINGS 1962 Friendly - Olympiakos Pyraeus 0-2 FC Barcelona 1962 Friendly - Olympiakos Pyraeus 1-0 FC Barcelona Preparation for the Champions League match against Olympiacos begins Given a day off after the match at the Wanda Metropolitano (1-1), FC Barcelona players returned to work at the Ciutat Esportiva on Monday morning in preparation for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Olympiacos, the third game of the group stage. Ernesto Valverde's men, who are looking for their third consecutive win in the competition after the victories against Juventus and Sporting, trained on the Tito Vilanova pitch in a session that had all the available first team present as well as Barça B goalkeeper Adrià Ortolá. The team will rest on Monday afternoon before another training session on Tuesday morning. VISCAELBARCA
3 UCL bookings = 1 UCL match suspension Semedo enters the match on two yellow cards. Upcoming fixtures: M4 (A) Olympiakos M5 (A) Juventus M6 (H) Sporting CP
Yeah, but playing the basement dweller at home is also a chance to rest and rotate a bit I would think. Not sure if squad has been announced yet and too busy at work, but I think we could see a couple of the Grand Ten (+ 3rd forward or 4th midfielder) rested for this game. Giving a start to great squad players like Masch at CB, or Roberto at RB or Mid.
Ernesto Valverde has named his squad of eighteen for Wednesday’ Champions League game with Olympiacos at the Camp Nou (8.45pm CET). And unfortunately Jordi Alba’s name is not included after pulling an adductor muscle in his thigh during the Tuesday evening training session. The full extent of the damage will not be known until after tests by the club medical staff. Alba’s name is added to those of Arda Turan, Ousmane Dembélé and Rafinha on the casualty list, while the names of Aleix Vidal and Thomas Vermaelen have also been left off the list. The full squad is thus as follows: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Piqué, Rakitic, Sergio, Denis, Iniesta, Suárez, Messi, Cillessen, Mascherano, Paulinho, Deulofeu, Paco Alcácer, Digne, Sergi Roberto, André Gomes and Umtiti. So looks like Digne gets a start unless they try to play 3 CBs which seems unlikely without Verm in the squad (not that he'd start but you'd want one like for like sub). Again no Vidal, so again the question is 4th mid or 3rd forward. I'll guess Digne starts, and plays back more than Alba, so I'd like to see Deulofeu tried at LW. Then I'd like to see Roberto as a hybrid RB/extra mid in place of Semedo, just liked what he brought in the last game when he came on (of course Barca was chasing the equalizer and then the win so different circumstances). Then maybe let Paulinho spell Raki and/or Masch spell Pique. OK that's too many subs I guess, so here's my guess: MAtS Roberto-Pique-Umtiti-Digne Paulinho-Busi-Ini ----Messi--------Deulofeu --------Suarez
I would argue that this is the match to heavily rotate. Next 2 matches will be tough to win even with the best XI out there.
Here's the Sport prediction, which is identical to my prediction except Raki starts over Paulinho, and they show Deulofeu at RW not LW: Nice appetizer game, Barca Youth won their match 5-0 in the mini estadi today, they have 9 points from nine matches so far. http://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2017/10/18/59e784f9e2704eb2358b45af.html Chelsea, ManU, ManC and Monaco also are 3 for 3, Mboula plays from Monaco after starring for our team last year, I'm sure they told him he'd be playing in Ligue 1, oh well
Oh heck yes, I think I nailed it. Semedo and Raki rested and replaced by Roberto and Paulinho; Alba injured so replaced by Digne; and Deulofeu gets the nod at replacing Dembele this time. Substitutes: Cillessen, Semedo, Rakitic, Denis, Mascherano, Alcácer and André Gomes. Of those I'd like to see Denis, Masch and Paco spell Ini, Pique, and Suarez after we get a 2 goal or more lead (hopefully).
Denis is a thousand times better than him , and when it comes to right back Palencia is a million times better than Roberto who isn't even a defender , but this is our history with coaches , they come and just copy paste whatever the previous coach did even if it's stupid.
But Roberto will play more like a 4th mid, and even a RW, IF we let Deulofeu play LW so Suarez can do what he does as a CF, not in between CF and LW, which is especially important since Digne does not get forward as much as Alba does. So if I am right about that positional stuff the defense should be fine with mostly Pique, Umtiti, and Digne back and Busi just in front of them, Roberto only back as a "RB" when we are pinned back, on corners, etc. I think it can work. But it is all about where the players play per their coach's instructions in the different game situations. I do like Denis Suarez, would like to see him too, but I think Deulofeu can be a valuable squad player for us esp. with Dembele out, and as I've said I really want to see him playing at least part of the game on the LW not RW. But what this lineup is like is the very end of the Atletico game but with Iniesta instead of your friend Gomes and that was when we were at our best in that match. Here's the other team, the one familiar name (to me) is Botia, who played for Barca B for 3 seasons, and played once for the big club too, then went on to Gijon (and did well and we had the right to buy him back but never did) and Sevilla and Elche: In 2003 he moved to FC Barcelona, being inserted into its B-team after a further three seasons.[1] In late May 2009 Botía, alongside fellow youth graduate Marc Muniesa, was first called to the main squad for a UEFA Champions League match against Manchester United.[2] He made his official debut on the 30th, coming on as a second-half substitute for Gerard Piqué in the final game of the campaign, a 1–1 away draw against Deportivo de La Coruña.[3] Sporting Gijón[edit] On 14 July 2009, Botía was sent to fellow La Liga club Sporting de Gijón on a season-long loan.[4] An undisputed starter throughout his first year in the top tier, he decided to extend his stay with the Asturians in a four-year deal, with Barcelona keeping a buy-back clause for the first three.[5] Sevilla[edit] On 8 August 2012, Botía signed with Sevilla FC for a fee believed to be in the region of €3 million. He was brought in with the help of the Doyen Group, an Anglo-Portuguese investment firm.[6][7] He made his official debut for his new team 18 days later, playing the second half of a 1–1 away draw against Granada CF.[8] On 23 February 2013, Botía put the visitors ahead at former side Barcelona, but in an eventual 1–2 loss.
Juve-Sporting impacts Barca's status in the group in terms of advancing. Especially when it's Matchday 5 or 6. Games in other groups have no bearing on Barca advancing thus shouldn't be posted in match threads. My opinion, at least. If anyone would rather have Juve-Sporting in the Other Teams thread I'd understand.