PBP: SSC Napoli v FC Barcelona | UEFA CL - Round of 16 - 1st Leg | 25 February 2020 [R]

One booking away from missing second leg...

Barcelona: Busquets , Semedo

Napoli: Llorente , Koulibaly

 

Players who were rested completely today: Fati, Roberto, Neto, Akieme (LB from Barca B). Players who came on only as subs: FDJ, Umtiti, Braithwaite (not CL eligible). Players who got a bit of rest at the end: Busquets, Pique, Griezmann. Formatin played today 4-4-2.

Not sure what it all means in terms of Napoli, though at an extreme it could suggest that we see all of these rested / partly rested players start: Fati, Roberto, FDJ, Umtiti, Busquets, Pique, and Griezmann (ignoring only Neto, Akieme, and ineligible Braithwaite). That would look like this:

MAtS
Roberto-Pique-Umtiti-Junior
FDJ-Busquets-Vidal/Arthur/Rakitic
Messi-Griezmann-Fati
​

Or could see two of Vidal/Arthur/Rakitic start in another 4-4-2, and Fati begin on the bench as an impact sub running against tired legs.

Not saying that's my favored lineup, or what I think we'll see, just musing about who got rested today and what that might mean.

 

Napoli is reportedly missing Koulibaly for this match so their defense should be more loose. We have to find a way to score goals IMO. I would be very happy with say a 2-0 or 2-1 win but I would take even 2-2 knowing our defense tends to concede.

 

^ I was gonna say play Roberto LB and Semedo RB. I don't trust Firpo in a game of this magnitude but I guess we have no choice.

I would start:

MAtS
Semedo Pique Lenglet Firpo
Arthur Busquets FDJ
Messi Griezmann Fati​

Then bring Vidal for Arthur in the 2nd half.

 

Really like to start Vidal and see a 4-4-2, bringing Fati on later. Could also see Umtiti start in place of Lenglet though I'd prefer Lenglet get the start. My best guess of what we see:

MAtS
Pique Umtiti
Semedo Busquets Firpo
FDJ --------Vidal
Arthur
Messi Griezmann
​

Could even see at 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 where all of Pique, Lenglet and Umtiti start on the backline, but in that scenario we are starting either all 3 healthy forwards, or all 5 healthy mids, not to mention all 3 healthy CBs (in each case ignoring Barca B players who may ultimately make the squad), and I don't think Semedo or Firpo are quite versatile enough to play as a mid or even a winger in the way in which Alba or Roberto can.

Here's the 21 folks who are traveling to Napoli (Braithwaite there for the practices and team integration as he is not eligible), presumably Pena and one other B teamer will be dropped. If we start only 2 CBs then I assume Araujo would be the other B teamer dropped, as we are more likely to possibly need the others (Akieme backs both fullbacks, Puig backs the other 5 mids, but we rest our mids the most via subs, Collado backs the only 3 forwards including Fati):

​

 

Corona virus has spread to Italy. Sounds pretty bad - 12 towns locked down and stuff, nobody can leave or go in. Right now the shutdowns are only affected the Lombardy region of Italy - around Milan. So pretty far from Naples for now.

 

Napoli were active in January transfer window too, buying 3 players (Demme, Lobotka, Rrahmani) for 46M Euros, plus taking Politano on loan for 2 years with an obligation to buy for a reported 20M Euros. This after spending nearly 90M Euros in summer 2019 (Kostas Manolas & Hirving Lozano the big buck signings). They also held onto Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens despite both being out of contract this summer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_S.S.C._Napoli_season

 

Well as rumored, the two guys from Napoli who could miss the 2nd leg (if they got a Yellow in first leg) will actually miss the first leg altogether, not because they are being held in reserve, just injured:



Marca continues:

Napoli will be without star defender Kalidou Koulibaly and striker Fernando Llorente for the visit of Barcelona on Tuesday night. Koulibaly has not recovered from a knee injury, while Llorente is ill.

On the other hand, Gennaro Gattuso has been able to include Elseid Hysaj, Arkadiusz Milik and Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano, who had all been suffering with physical discomfort. Despite these three players making the Napoli squad, it seems as though they will not start against Barcelona.

 

Expecting a very tough 180, the opponent is class.

A score draw wouldn't be a bad result considering the match beforehand, obviously any win would be great. Messi to score one, somebody to score another, Napoli getting one as well, is my guess, so 1-2.

 

Our new coach said we won't play scared and will try to score goals. That's encouraging. Let's go baby!

 

Official:

MAtS
Semedo-Pique-Umtiti-Firpo
Rakitic-FDJ-Busquets-Vidal
Messi-Griezmann
​

Surprises seem to be that Umtiti starts in place of Lenglet, but Setien has played him as much (or even more) than Lenglet; and Rakitic getting a start in place of Arthur.

Griezmann is carrying a mate cup and straw in the video on FCB's official twitter, is he trying to curry favor with Leo?

Napoli: Ospina, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Maksimovic, Rui, Fabian, Demme, Zielinski, Callejon, Mertens, Insigne. Subs: Meret, Allan, Elmas, Luperto, Politano, Hysaj, Milik. (Surprised Milik not starting, think we will see him play in 2nd half.)
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Nelson Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Firpo, Busquets, Rakitic, de Jong, Vidal, Messi, Griezmann. Subs: Arthur, Neto, Lenglet, Puig, Fati, Araujo, Akieme. (So Collado and Inaki Pena, along with ineligible Martin Braithwaite traveled but watch from the stands). I suspect we see Arthur for sure, Fati too unless we are protecting a lead in 2nd half.
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).

 

Get it together, Griezmann. We need you.

 

To be honest I might have started Roberto instead of Firpo on the left wing. At least I would be tempted because Firpo hasn't impressed and has little big match experience. I think Napoli may attack us on that wing and try to exploit him.

 

Roberto is out 2-3 weeks with a thigh issue, that is why Akieme (LB for Barca B) made the squad, both Roberto and Alba are injured, and of course we loaned out Wague.

Before that we sold Cucurella (left back from La Masia), sold Digne (well Digne wanted out to start), sold Sergi Palencia (RB from La Masia), bought RB Emerson but in tandem with Betis who have him for now, loaned out Juan Miranda (LB from La Masia), sold Vidal (RB), etc. etc. all the way back to selling the La Masia pearl at LB Grimaldo to Benfica.

 

I know. I'm just saying. If he was healthy I would have probably started him over Firpo.

 

I’d play Fati up front with Arthur in midfield and Lenglet CB

Then bench Rakitic, Umtiti Vidal

 

This guy is anti Barca ref.

 

Vidal on the right wing ffs
He’s already made two dangerous back passes