PBP: Copa del Rey | R32 Leg 2 | FC Barcelona v Cultural Leonesa | 5 December 2018 [R]

Here's what I posted on the season thread yesterday:

Pending CdR match thread, here's the latest. Monday about 13 Barca B players trained with the healthy first teamers. Today Messi was given a rest and the Barca B players were winnowed down to the 6 who were also named to the match squad:

Defenders Chumi, Miranda and Guillem Jaime could all feature along with midfielders Riqui Puig, Oriol Busquets and Àlex Collado.

None of the injured players are in the squad (Rafinha, Arthur, Luis Suárez, Sergi Roberto, Umtiti and Samper) and Lionel Messi will be rested. OTHER HEALTHY BUT RESTED FIRST TEAMERS ARE: PIQUE, ALBA, RAKITIC, AND BUSQUETS,

Goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and defender Thomas Vermaelen have returned from knocks, though, and are both set to start.

The squad is: Ter Stegen, Cillessen, Semedo, Rakitic, Denis Suárez, Coutinho, Dembélé, Malcom, Lenglet, Munir, Aleñá, Arturo Vidal, Vermaelen, Miranda, Riqui Puig, Collado, Orol Busquets, Chumi and Guillem. OF THESE 19 I THINK ONLY 16 ARE TYPICALLY IN A SQUAD AGAINST A LOWER DIVISION TEAM, BARRING MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO HAVE 18

Line-up prediction (recall that 7 first teamers must play at all time), but that Alena has just joined the first team permanently #21, based on rehabbing with Barca B, good performances with first team and Barca B, and also Rafinha's season ending ACL surgery opening up more room. https://www.sport-english.com/en/ne...oted-to-barcas-first-team-permanently-7184337
So Alena will now be amongst the 7 first teamers and not count against the 4 B teamers at a time limit!

Cillessen
Semedo-Chumi-Vermaelen-Miranda
Vidal-Samper-Alena
Dembele-Munir-Malcom​

Get a further lead (we have 1 away goal and 1 goal lead from first leg) then Puig for Vidal, Denis for Vidal (no scowling Vidal), and Oriol Busquets on for Samper who is still getting over an injury.

TODAY'S REVISION:

We are only up 1 goal (albeit an away goal), so thinking that we start a little more experienced and match fit squad - say Coutinho starts over Malcom, Vidal at DM, Samper out, Denis at other AM, and Lenglet instead of Vermaelen at LCB. That would be my prediction of what EV does, though I'd like to see more of what I predicted.

So EV Prediction updated:

Cillessen
Semedo-Chumi-LENGLET-Miranda
DENIS-Vidal-Alena
Dembele-Munir-COUTINHO
​

Then try to get on Verm, Samper, and Malcom as subs though it means less Barca B players get to sub on.

 

So:

Cillessen
Semedo-Chumi-Vermaelen-Miranda
Rakitic-O.Busquets-Alena-D. Suarez? (if 442)
Malcom-Munir-D.Suarez? (if 433)​

I like it, and we have good firepower on the bench in Coutinho, Vidal, and Dembele if needed, but hopefully not needed and we can instead play Samper, Puig, and another B teamer (need 7 first teamers on pitch at all time, but Alena's promotion means we start with only 3 B teamers, so could add 1 more, or two if Samper subs off O. Busquets at DM).

Most excited to see Miranda play (he did well in first leg), O. Busquets play (did not feature in first leg IIRC), and Malcom play (he did not do so well in first leg).

D. Suarez also did not do so well in first leg so this is another chance for him to show what he can do, right now Alena has passed him on the pecking order and he may want to start thinking about going elsewhere, but he plays well at times, he may be trying to do too much in his limited minutes.

INTERESTING - initial lineup posted by Barca showed Lenglet starting, as I'd predicted, now Vermaelen starts instead, hopefully that does not mean Lenglet got a knock?

I have not yet seen who made the subs bench as our initial lineup had 19 names and we can only have 16 I believe, or possibly 18 if both clubs agree to it.

VIDAL OUT, replaced by Sergio, Vidal has a fever.

HERE's the Official bench - 18 players:
5Sergio Busquets
7Philippe Coutinho
1Marc-André ter Stegen
15Clément Lenglet
11Ousmane Dembélé
28Ricard Puig
38Guillem Jaime

​

 

Munir! 1-0, 2-0 agg.

 

Great turn and finish.

 

what a shot by Denis !!!! 2-0

 

MUNIR

edit & DENIS

and that means my silent stream is also delayed a couple minutes, great

 

Nice. That should be it. 2-0, 3-0 agg.

 

MALCOM

 

All three forwards score, all of whom could use the confidence boost, and all 3 goals assisted by Rakitic (who rarely gets the credit he deserves - for Barca or Croatia).

 

HT: 3-0, 4-0 agg.

 

Busquets on for Rakitic at halftime, so they both get half a game of rest. Double Busquets, does Sergio or Oriol play DM or a double DM with Denis dropping to Attacking Mid in a 4-4-2?

ANSWER - Puig quickly replaces Oriol Busquets, Denis remains on left wing in 4-3-3

Meanwhile they score but need 3 more to win on away goals, not happening. Glad Puig is on. Munir is not getting many PKs going down that easily.

 

3-1, 4-1 agg.

 

Weird sub, Semedo off and Lenglet on, so 3 CBs, one fullback, unless Chumi can play RB and, since he is the only right footed CB that must be the plan

 

Damn their goalie is spasming on the ground after blocking a shot (Munir) and then going far out to challenge Puig, but he's up now.

 

What an assist !!!! damn he is really short , well Denis makes it 4-1

 

Great pass by Puig, control by Denis with outside of his right foot, then slam it home.

 

Riqui Puig (Ricky Pooch) listed at a generous? 5'7", fortunately Miranda, Oriol Busquets, and Chumi are all 6'1"

 

Malcom with a possible sprain...

 

Helmond Cup update:

FC Barcelona 4-1 Cultural Leonesa

Next:
Saturday 8 December
La Liga, Jornada 15
Espanyol de Cornellà -v- FC Barcelona