Saturday, 9 March 2019 18:30 BARCELONA TIME CAMP NOU B A R C E L O N A PREVIOUS MEETINGS SLL 03-11-2018 FT Rayo Vallecano 2 : 3 Barcelona SLL 03-03-2016 FT Rayo Vallecano 1 : 5 Barcelona SLL 17-10-2015 FT Barcelona 5 : 2 Rayo Vallecano SLL 08-03-2015 FT Barcelona 6 : 1 Rayo Vallecano SLL 04-10-2014 FT Rayo Vallecano 0 : 2 Barcelona SLL 15-02-2014 FT Barcelona 6 : 0 Rayo Vallecano VISCAELBARCA
Just an FYI that Barcelona will be playing Girona in Sabadell for the Supercopa de Catalunya on Wednesday 6 March. Both clubs likely to rest key players.
For Rayo Vallecano, Lenglet is suspended due to yellow cards. Piqué, Rakitic and Vidal enter with 4 bookings each. Suarez and Umtiti each carrying 3 yellow cards. Upcoming Liga fixtures: J28 (A) Betis J29 (H) Espanyol de Cornellà J30 (A) Villarreal J31 (H) Atlético Madrid
Honestly I hope we rest key players for both Girona and Rayo if it will help in the CL. I'm scared of the Lyon game.
Good idea, not sure I can watch it but very interested in who plays. Really want to see Todibo play, as there are reports that he is already outshining Murillo and looks so promising that he might stay at Barca next season (instead of being loaned out within La Liga to get experience), but could see the defense being Murillo and Vermaelen, but I'd love to see Todibo and Umtiti pair together (since Umtiti still needs PT to get in game shape). Maybe something like: Cillessen Wague-Todibo-Umtiti-Miranda Alena-Oriol Busquets-Vidal Malcom-Prince-Coutinho
that looks good. maybe Puig instead of Oriol: Cillessen Wague-Todibo-Umtiti-Miranda Alena-Vidal-Puig Malcom-Prince-Coutinho
Yeah, that's good too, thought about starting Puig in place of Vidal (rather than Oriol), but then I worried Coutinho would feel like the only rotation player starting (Umtiti being an exception after long injury) so figured Vidal starting makes Couti not feel like he's playing in a meaningless game... Obviously I'm thinking too much about this. But figured to get Puig in no matter what, whether for Vidal, Alena, or O. Busi; as a sub if not starter. Bigger question is who makes match squad list, do they include a Barca B forward? Like to rest Coutinho (if he starts/plays), as I think he is due for another start/PT against Rayo. So I may update predictions when that comes out. Also no idea if we try to play more Catalan born players or anything like that, don't think that's part of the tradition (only applies in Catalan NT I think).
Interesting hint from today's practice about Wednesday's lineup, maybe. Barcelona returned to training on Tuesday afternoon after enjoying a few days off, but not everyone was in attendance. EV gave 12 players a further day off to Nelson Semedo, Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto and Arturo Vidal. So Arthur (and Umtiti) do not get extra rest, maybe cause they are just back from injury and trying to get back to 100%. Whereas both RBs get extra rest as do Vidal and Coutinho who don't start so much of late. With Barcelona in action on Wednesday night against Girona in the Catalan Super Cup, I'm guessing practice will be a light warmup before the game, and that most or all of those given today off will NOT play vs. Girona. AND NOW CONFIRMED as I went to see if a squad list was out: Cillessen, Todibo, Malcolm, Murillo, Prince, Alena, Umtiti, Iñaki Peña, Wague, Guillem, Chumi, Miranda, O. Busquets, Monchu, Collado, Riqui Puig, Abel Ruiz, Mujica and Kike Saverio are all in the squad, whilst Ter Stegen, N. Semedo, Piqué, I. Rakitic, Sergio, Coutinho, Arthur, Suárez, Messi, O. Dembélé, Lenglet, Jordi Alba, S. Roberto and Vidal have been left out because of a technical decision. Rafinha and Vermaelen are still injured. So the 12 plus MAtS and Arthur are out against Girona. Girona prediction: Cillessen Wague-Todibo-Umtiti-Miranda Alena-ORIOL Busquets-Puig Malcom-Prince-Collado It would be nice if we had more than 3 subs so everyone could play. Just read this as well: Those first team players left out of the match squad will be back in training on Wednesday at 11.00am CET.
Alright, they agreed to allow extra subs, great news, get to see everyone get minutes: The game at Sabadell's Nova Creu Alta allows up to nine changes, as agreed between the clubs. As Barça will only have eight substitutes, he will be able to give minutes to everyone. Barça -- playing against Espanyol usually -- have won the competition on two of the last three occasions. -- Sport
Staring lineup: Cillessen; Wague, Murillo, Umtiti, Miranda; Todibo, Riqui Puig, Aleñá, Malcom, Collado, Boateng 🔵🔴 Barça XI⚽ FC Barcelona v Girona🏆 #SupercopaCAT pic.twitter.com/LwU6xUkmYD— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) March 6, 2019 1103339863011741696 is not a valid tweet id
L'onze del Girona!!💪🏆#SupercopaCat #GironaFC #OrgullGironí pic.twitter.com/pb4kjbHz5e— Girona FC (@GironaFC) March 6, 2019
Barca's youtube account will NOT be showing Barcelona v Girona live but will feature delayed coverage after the match ends. Looks like TV3 and Esport3 are making their stream available outside the region. We'll see how long it lasts. https://www.ccma.cat/tv3/directe/tv3/ https://www.ccma.cat/tv3/directe/esport3/
First half summaries via Sport and EMD: Lozano and Malcom with the best chances at goal for Barca. Cilessen facing few headaches. Murillo firm in defense. Umtiti appears completely recovered. Riqui Puig and Álex Collado looking good displaying self-confidence. Prince showing good attitude but looking disoriented in attack Todibo appears shy, without fanfare, lacking rhythm which isn't surprising following four months of no action.
Second half underway. Just one Barca sub: Oriol Busquets in for Umtiti. Todibo moves from pivot to central defence.
I realize Oriol is now at DM, but out of the 3 CBs who was playing DM before that? Todibo, Murillo, or Umtiti? Or were we playing 3 at the back (all the CBs)? or 5 at the back? Edit - thanks for the stream too, first one I tried is working (Canal TV3)
-Watched the Girona game from just before the penalty -Prince was eh, nothing completely horrible, nothing that inspiring either. I'd like to see him bag a goal at some point just cuz. -Malcom trying to create everything with his left, not bad I guess -Riqui Puig is a lil firecracker, though seems to play too fast sometimes. -Collado with the clumsy challenge that led to the Stuani penalty -I thought Abel Ruiz was higher up the pecking order...(?)
Yeah, Abel is pretty recently back from injury. Also, Abel is more of a pure striker / center forward and I assume we were more interested in seeing Prince play that role, flanked by Malcom and a Barca B winger, which is where Collado came in rather than Abel.