PBP: J13 - La Liga 18/19 | Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona | 24 November 2018 [R]

Suspended: Rakitic

No players are on three bookings.
5 bookings = one Liga match suspension
The first yellow card Rakitic received against Betis was his third of the season but when he received his second yellow of the match the double yellow meant he was automatically suspended for this match and his "bookings count" reverts back to two for the season (in terms of receiving a suspension for accumulated bookings).
Got it?

 

I always wondered what they did in that situation. Too harsh to count both yellows since that would mean 2 yellows is actually worse than a straight red, and even worse than a yellow followed by a straight red.

So this rule actually makes sense.

Is it the same in CL? ie. if you have zero yellow cards and pick up 2 in one game, are you still at zero when you return from the suspension?

 

Yes.

 

Mostly agree, I'd just have Roberto instead of Semedo. Otherwise I dont think we have enough to create a lot of threats offensively. Really want to see Vidal get a start or 5 starting now, and makes perfect sense in this game, which sadly is played at the same time as Riber- Boca..

 

I'm with the chorus that feels Sergi Roberto shouldn't play at right back.
What am I missing? What's the deal with Semedo? I watched him with Benfica and was quite happy Barcelona went for him but I don't understand why he often gets left out of the lineup.

 

in 46 appearances for Barca, Semedo has only one assist.
Roberto has 18 assists in 97 appearances (plus 2 goals).
[from espnfc]

neither is the perfect option. Semedo is the better defender, but Roberto adds more when the team is in possession (which is most of the time). Roberto is more likely to be beaten one-on-one, but Semedo is more likely to lose possession in midfield leaving the team vulnerable to fast counters. if we could combine Semedo's physique with Roberto's brains and ball control, we'd have the ideal RB.

i don't think the outcome of any match hinges on this one decision though. we should be able to win with either of these guys starting.

 

Alena

 

********ing hell.. no Coutinho...

The only bright side to not having Coutinho and Rakitic is the fact Atletico will be missing Juanfran, Gimenez and Godin... 3/4 of their back line..

 

Re Squad List:
Coutinho returned to training this week and there was talk he could make the squad but Valverde said he doesn't want to take risks. The Brazilian could feature against PSV in midweek in the Champions League.

As well as Coutinho and Denis (on bench for "technical" reasons, injured duo Thomas Vermaelen and Sergi Samper also miss out, while Ivan Rakitic is suspended. The Croatian also returned from international duty with a hamstring problem, but trained on Friday.

So yeah, Rafinha, Dembele, Malcom or Alena could get a start (for missing Coutinho), and I already have Vidal starting for suspended Rakitic. Only other questions then seem to be the RB (Roberto likely to start), and Left CB (Umtiti is my guess over Lenglet). Rest is clear: MAtS, Pique, Alba, Busi and Arthur in mid, Messi and Suarez up front. So my guess to be clear is MAtS, Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba, Vidal, Busi and Arthur, Rafinha, Messi and Suarez. Dembele and/or Malcom off the bench against tired legs unless we are already protecting a lead (or even if we are)...

 

So with no Rakitic (suspended and possibly still injured too) and no Coutinho (injured / saved for CL we hope), we do get a Vidal start (as predicted) but we also get a Semedo start (not predicted) along with Roberto playing in mid in presumably a 4-4-2. So basically Semedo edges out Rafinha, Alena, Dembele, and Malcom as the 11th starter in a 4-4-2 (Rafinha, Alena) or a 4-3-3 (Dembele, Malcom), by playing RB and allowing Roberto to be the fourth mid. Other prediction, Umtiti back to starting was correct, Lenglet on bench.

MAtS
Pique-Umtiti
Semedo-Busi-Alba
Roberto-Vidal-Arthur
Messi---------
-------------Suarez
​

So bench is those 4 non-starters already mentioned (Rafinha, Alena, Dembele, and Malcom) plus Lenglet, Cillessen, and Munir. So lots of firepower on the bench. Not much beyond Lenglet if we want to protect a lead, but then if we have a lead putting on a speedster (Dembele, Malcom) to counter their pressure could be just what we need. Or we could try to clog the middle with extra a/o fresh mids like Rafinha and Alena.

 

Can't believe Craperto is starting again ... if i was Dembele or Malcom i would start looking for a another club in the winter transfer window because it seems there is no way in hell Craperto will be dropped no matter how much he ********s the team game after game after game , where as if Dembele or Malcom do one wrong move they are casted out for life

is there any way we can get rid of this virus

 

Vidal at left wing ...,

 

Can't expect anything else than this moronic coach.

 

He's had tips of Roberto ..,

On a serious note . Samedo' confidence must be shot given Valverde chooses an average midfielder to play at RB normally ..
I'll be amazed if he stays in January

Imagine the pressure .. he knows that even if he plays amazingly well tonight he will be on the bench for the next 5 games or so

 

Lucky Griezmann hesitated there. Could've been punished.