Saturday, 16 February 2019 20:45 BARCELONA TIME CAMP NOU B A R C E L O N A PREVIOUS MEETINGS SLL 25-08-2018 FT Real Valladolid 0 : 1 Barcelona SLL 08-03-2014 FT Real Valladolid 1 : 0 Barcelona SLL 05-10-2013 FT Barcelona 4 : 1 Real Valladolid SLL 19-05-2013 FT Barcelona 2 : 1 Real Valladolid SLL 22-12-2012 FT Real Valladolid 1 : 3 Barcelona SLL 16-05-2010 FT Barcelona 4 : 0 Real Valladolid VISCAELBARCA
Entering match with 4 bookings: Lenglet, Rakitic, Vidal Currently on 3 yellow cards: Piqué, Suarez, Umtiti Upcoming Liga fixtures: J25 (A) Sevilla J26 (A) Real Madrid J27 (H) Rayo Vallecano
Play Dembele and Coutinho. Rest Messi, Suarez, and Busquets. Somehow make sure to get 3 points though. We can't afford to slip up.
I think we've learned that such an approach doesn't work. We'd end up having to bring Messi on at halftime anyway in a desperate move to try to salvage the points. Makes more sense to start the best XI and if things are comfortable after 60 minutes then start subbing-out players that need rest the most. Not worth the risk of losing La Liga to give Messi an extra 15-45 minutes rest.
Unfortunately true. They don't do a lot when he's on the bench and can be subbed in. But when he was out injured earlier this season, we started having hope in some of our young guys, our Brazilian wingers in particular. Maybe Messi needs a Jimmy Butler-on-the-timberwolves type "injury" for the real talent to actually step up.
Just don't include Messi in the squad so they know there is no help coming. Early in the season when Messi was hurt, the team actually played pretty well.
That might be an idea worth implementing sometime, though I'd prefer not to experiment with this match as it is pretty important.
The squad for Valladolid: Ter Stegen, N. Semedo, Piqué, I. Rakitic, Sergio, Coutinho, Suárez, Messi, O. Dembélé, Malcom, Lenglet, Jordi Alba, Prince, S. Roberto, Aleñá, Vidal, Vermaelen and Iñaki Peña. https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/1056125/the-squad-for-valladolid Why is no one rested before a big CL game? Interesting to say the least.
No counting chickens before they hatch. Games against teams low in the table can easily trip us up. Valladolid is 15th.
Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Vermaelen, Alba, Busquets, Aleñá, Arturo Vidal, Messi, Dembélé y Boateng
Five in the back for Valladolid with two supporting defensive midfielders, will he hard to pass the ball through into goal.