Ernesto Goes to Work: The 2018-19 Season Thread [R]

Calendario 2018-2019

For the first time in La Liga history the second half of the schedule (Jornadas 20 to 38) is asymmetrical to the first half, meaning the order of opponents changes.
E.g., in the first half of the season El Clasico will be played on Jornada 10 at Camp Nou. Under the symmetrical formula used in the past this meant the return fixture would have been played on Jornada 29. But with the new asymmetrical format in use the return at the Bernabeu will instead be played on Jornada 26.

The RFEF had requested that the Copa del Rey final be played on Saturday 25 May to end the Spanish season. But the LFP prefers it be played on Easter weekend and listed the weekend of May 25-26 as the final day of the Liga campaign (Jornada 38) when they recently announced the full schedule..
With no agreement reached, the date of the Copa del Rey final is expected to be made by the CSD.
So for now, the dates listed below for Jornadas 23-38 are unconfirmed and could change.

JULY 2018
Sat 28: pre-season v Tottenham in Pasadena
Tue 31: pre-season v Roma in Dallas

AUGUST
Sat 4: pre-season v AC Milan in Santa Clara
midweek 7-9:
Sun 12: SCE (N) Sevilla in Casablanca 22:00
Wed 15: Gamper (H) Boca Juniors 18:15
weekend 18-19: J1 (H) Alavés
midweek 21-23:
weekend 25-26: J2 (A) Real Valladolid
Thur 30: UCL Group Stage draw

SEPTEMBER
weekend 1-2: J3 (H) Huesca
midweek 3-5:
weekend 6-8: FIFA Calendar
midweek 10-11: FIFA Calendar
weekend 15-16: J4 (A) Real Sociedad
midweek 18-20: UCL-M1
weekend 22-23: J5 (H) Girona
midweek 25-27: J6 (A) Leganés
weekend 29-30: J7 (H) Athletic Bilbao

OCTOBER
midweek 2-4: UCL-M2
weekend 6-7: J8 (A) Valencia
midweek 8-10:
weekend 11-13: FIFA Calendar
midweek 15-16: FIFA Calendar
weekend 20-21: J9 (H) Sevilla
midweek 23-25: UCL-M3
weekend 27-28: J10 (H) Real Madrid
midweek 30-1:

NOVEMBER
weekend 3-4: J11 (A) Rayo Vallecano
midweek 6-8: UCL-M4
weekend 10-11: J12 (H) Betis
midweek 12-13:
weekend 15-17: FIFA Calendar
midweek 19-20: FIFA Calendar
weekend 24-25: J13 (A) Atlético Madrid
midweek 27-29: UCL-M5

DECEMBER
weekend 1-2: J14 (H) Villarreal (Sun 2: Euro 2020 Qualification draw)
midweek 4-6:
weekend 8-9: J15 (A) Espanyol
midweek 11-13: UCL-M6
weekend 15-16: J16 (A) Levante
midweek 18-20:
weekend 22-23: J17 (H) Celta
midweek 25-27:
weekend 29-30:

JANUARY 2019
midweek 1-3:
weekend 5-6: (Sat 5: AFC Asian Cup begins in U.A.E.) J18 (A) Getafe
midweek 8-10:
weekend 12-13: J19 (H) Eibar
midweek 15-17:
weekend 19-20: J20 (H) Leganés
midweek 22-24:
weekend 26-27: J21 (A) Girona
midweek 29-31:

FEBRUARY
weekend 2-3: (Fri 1: AFC Asian Cup Final in U.A.E.) J22 (H) Valencia
midweek 5-7:
weekend 9-10: J23 (A) Athletic Bilbao
midweek 12-14: UCL-2R1
weekend 16-17: J24 (H) Real Valladolid
midweek 19-21: UCL-2R1
weekend 23-24: J25 (A) Sevilla
midweek 26-28:

MARCH
weekend 2-3: J26 (A) Real Madrid
midweek 5-7: UCL-2R2
weekend 9-10: J27 (H) Rayo Vallecano
midweek 12-14: UCL-2R2
weekend 16-17: J28 (A) Betis
midweek 18-19:
weekend 21-23: FIFA Calendar
midweek 25-26: FIFA Calendar
weekend 30-31: J29 (H) Espanyol

APRIL
midweek 2-4: J30 (A) Villarreal
weekend 6-7: J31 (H) Atlético Madrid
midweek 9-11: UCL-Qf1
weekend 13-14: J32 (A) Huesca
midweek 16-18: UCL-Qf2
weekend 20-21: J33 (H) Real Sociedad
midweek 23-25:
weekend 27-28: J34 (A) Alavés

MAY
midweek 30-2: UCL-Sf1
weekend 4-5: J35 (H) Levante
midweek 7-9: UCL-Sf2
weekend 11-12: J36 (A) Celta
midweek 14-16:
weekend 18-19: J37 (H) Getafe
midweek 21-23:
weekend 25-26: J38 (A) Eibar
Wed 29: UEL-F in Baku

JUNE
Sat 1: UCL-F in Madrid (Wanda/La Peineta)
midweek 3-5:
weekend 6-8: FIFA Calendar ... Fri 7: African Cup of Nations (Cameroon) and Copa America (Brazil) begin
midweek 10-11: FIFA Calendar
midweek 11-13:
weekend 15-16:
midweek 18-20:
weekend 22-23:
midweek 25-27:
Sun 30: Copa America Final in Brazil

 

wow

Sandro Rosell is facing an 11 year prison sentence + a 59million euro fine, on charges of money laundering and forming part of a criminal organization.

 

From the official website re which first teamers and Barca B players are in the US (can now add Malcolm to the list):
Ernesto Valverde has announced who he is taking with him on the US Tour. Fourteen members of the first team will be crossing the Atlantic, including the two new signings, Arthur and Lenglet.

They will be joined by 13 players from Barça B, namely Jokin Ezkieta, Palencia, Cucurella, Mingueza, J. Cuenca, Miranda, Monchu, Collado, Riqui Puig, Abel Ruiz, C. Pérez, Chumi and Ballou.

Ter Stegen joining squad in Dallas
The German keeper, who was part of the Germany squad that was eliminated from the group stage at the Russia 2018 World Cup, will also be taking part. He’ll be catching up with the rest of the players in Dallas.

The full squad for the 2018/19 US Tour is as follows: Ter Stegen, Cillessen, N. Semedo, Denis Suárez, Paco Alcácer, Digne, S. Roberto, André Gomes, Aleix Vidal, Arthur, Lenglet, Rafinha, Munir, Marlon, Jokin Ezkieta, Palencia, Cucurella, Mingueza, J. Cuenca, Miranda, Monchu, Collado, Riqui Puig, Abel Ruiz, C. Pérez, Chumi and Ballou.

Barça have three International Champions Cup fixtures to look forward to in North America. They open against Tottenham Hotspur (28 July in Los Angeles), then take on AS Roma (30 July in Dallas) and finish up against AC Milan (4 August in San Francisco).
https://www.fcbarcelona.com/footbal...19/squad-announced-for-us-tour-training-video
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Ortola being out on loan is a bit weird with Cillessen potentially being sold, but it simply means we will buy a different back up keeper if Cillessen wants to leave and that club pays Barca. Basically it means Barca don't see Ortola as good enough to be the #1 back up to MAtS.

 

We should win the CL this season.

 

Don Corleone

 

Kick-off time announced for first Liga match v Alaves: 18 Aug @ 22h15 CET / 16h15 EDT.

Also Super-cup against Sevilla will kick-off 12 Aug @ 22h00 CET.

Love the first few weeks of the season when all the games are played at night!

 

Only 1 forward starting? Only 1 CB starting --- OOPS now I see Marlon is there too, so Semedo, Marlon, Lenglet, and Miranda on backline Which mid(s) will play as forward next to Munir? Weird.

Working well w/ adblocker deployed http://buffstreamz.com/watch/soccer-stream.php

 

Munir header for 1-0, Assist by Rafinha, nice cross from the left to Rafinha at far post (Munir was offsides when cross came in, but onsides when Rafinha headed it to him, if that makes sense -- no offsides as Munir did not play the ball till Rafinha headed it back to Munir at the near/left post).

 

Miranda cross to Rafinha played back to Arthur who is unmarked a few meters beyond the penalty box on the right of center, one touch to settle and shift to his right than a long range bomb, 2-0, great start to new season from new guy Arthur, newly up from La Masia guy Miranda, back from Inter La Masia guy Rafinha, and back from Alaves La Masia guy Munir.

 

Arthur from outside the box! I'm loving this kid!

 

Everyone has been good this first half. Rafinha was everywhere, his and Arthur’s play under pressure and small spaces is amazing. Semedo’s overlapping runs have been awesome, I really hope he gets to start more games this season. Lenglet has been so composed and his passing range is great. Miranda has also had a good outing in first half with some nice passes and showing grit in his challenges and pressing.

All of our new signings have been amazing, couldn’t be happier with their showing in first half. Valverde’s gonna have a hard time picking the squad for this season if they continue playing like this. Also, I really hope Rafinha stays, he clearly has Barca DNA and the quick tiki taka passing game suits him to a tee. Especially that Barzilian link up wih Arthur and soon Coutinho. I also like Rafinha’s directness, always willing to take on a player and making great decisions in the final third.

 

But aren't we supposed to pass it into the goal, for the maximum champagne football?

 

Only Rafinha and Cillessen still on of starters, lots of La Masia starlets on now. Who is better / more ready Cucurella (now on) or Miranda (who had a great first half). Abel Ruiz the 18 y.o. true striker is on.

 

Welp. I guess that’s what you get when you field basically the whole of Barca B (La Masia) against the likes of Son and Eriksen. Defense is in shambles after the second half overhaul. Poor Cillessen.

 

Good learning experience for the youths.

 

Game meant nothing but those were some well taken penalties by the kids.

 

Wow. Those were indeed some great PK’s taken by the youths. Dare I say, more confident than the senior team in that department? Cool as a cucumber. Malcom with the winner as well. Stoked for Cillessen that he stopped one. All in all a deserved win, especially that magical first half display.

 

I thought I’d never feel this way about a Barça midfielder again!

 

Like I said, he will be a phenomenal player for us in the future.

 

Arthur is also defensively very good. I’m hyped as ******** because my boy will probably rejuvenate Barca’s style of play.

 

If he delivers all we expect from him (he is very good, but at 21 there is still space to grow) he will be a great asset not only to Barça but to the Seleção too.

He had a tremendous first pro season with Grêmio. Few commentators had anything to criticize Tite's team but the absence of Arthur and Luan. And indeed, the lack of a better, more intelligent and versatile midfield proved to be one of our problems (along with Jesus in bad form and not being replaced with Firmino), Neymar antics putting the public against the Seleção and also the weird use of VAR, not seeing a clear penalty on Jesus.


Let's hope Arthur can be the second Grêmio player to make history at Barcelona.