Sorry to start this late but I'm not sure when @Viscaelbarca will resume and I cannot touch the quality of his threads, but game is in 9.5 hours so best to get something up. "In principle Iniesta & Busquets trained with the squad – but it is down to the doctors, the players themselves and their condition." so the above image (sideline) or the below (playing), that is the question, but even if cleared may only play a half or mop up duty in second half. Digne also practiced today. Game at home: daytime game: This time where you live: From the official site: Team news Despite welcoming back Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta to training on Friday, Luis Enrique is still awaiting the approval of the medical staff before thinking about including them for tomorrow’s clash, and the same applies to full-back Lucas Digne. Athletic are without goalkeeper Kepa who suffered a serious knee injury at the start of the year while Sabin Merino and Xabier Etxeita missed the last match and could be unavailable for the visit to Camp Nou. Form Barça go into the game in high spirits on the back of a 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. However, due to the 1-1 draw at Real Betis in the last league match, three points will be absolutely vital against Athletic as Luis Enrique’s men pursue leaders Real Madrid. Athletic Club are unbeaten in their last five league games, though three of those were draws. Valverde’s side had to dig deep to earn three points last week, coming from a goal down to beat Sporting Gijón 2-1 at San Mamés with goals from Iker Muniain and Aritz Aduriz to remain seventh in the league. History Barça have an excellent recent record against Athletic, having won ten out of the last 13 matches in all competitions. You would have to go back over 15 years, to precisely 24 November 2001, to find the last time Athletic Club left the Camp Nou with three points with Santi Ezquerro, who would later sign for Barça, scoring the winning goal. The pair have already met twice in 2017, in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 – Barça lost the first leg 2-1 away but bounced back with a 3-1 win at home which saw them through to the quarter-finals. Onto quick predictions, we win, MAtS and MSN start. Rest up in the air - do we prioritize winning a still pretty tight CdR midweek and rest/rotate more with an eye towards best lineup on Tuesday? Are Ini and Busi ready to play? to start? Gun to my head: Mats; Vidal, Pique, Masch, Alba; Denis, Raki, Arda; N, S, M. 3-1.
please tell me that is a joke .. Math as Lb !?!?! and gomes as DM AND arda and rafinha in the midfield at the same time !?!?!? and on top of that alcacer starting wtf Lucho is determined this time to ******** it up
People here should worry more about the midfield than Paco. Seriously, sometimes I don't understand the members here. Why worried about the attack when we have Messi upfront. The issue is will Messi get any service from this midfield? Gomes as DM? Arda and CM? This season Lucho tactics remind me of Maradona's tactics in WC 2010 when Argentina played against Germany and Maradona's rotation in WCQ. Given that our home record is one of the worst (ranked 12 among Liga clubs this season) the one can think Lucho prioritize CDR and more points to lose in Liga.
So we are playing with one of the best teams in Liga, league leaders are to play the same team they have not managed to win against in their last two encounters and our manager fields a team with question marks all over the pitch? This team might surprise us and win this match but it is inexcusable that the coach fields this team in this round when we can potentially reduce the gap at the top. Enrique seems to have lost his mind and needs to go after this. Never been so sure about it. PS! We might win this game and win the treble but this lineup in this circustances shows that Lucho might not be the right person for this job.
Lionel Messi: No player has scored more goals in La Liga this season than Messi (16)— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 4, 2017
Neymar plays well but his goal conversion rate is very bad this season. He wastes chances but does create many. Not sure what to say about this game so far. Individual brilliance from Neymar and Messi made the difference. We can't control the ball under pressure and lost many. So many defensive mistakes and Athletic could've have scored 2 goals.
Bit greedy by Neymar but I don't mind, too often he defers in the box (mainly to Messi, then Suarez) but Arda did not get the deference/pass and Neymar went wide.