Frank Rijkaard has only 17 players fit for tomorrow evening’s match against Murcia in Camp Nou (kick off 8pm local time). Leo Messi is not expected back for another week, and Deco and Ronaldinho are still suffering from niggling injuries. With Toure Yaya preparing for the African Cup of Nations and Jose Edmilson injured again, Rijkaard will have to choose between Marquez and Iniesta to play in the defensive midfield role.
Part of the press is suggesting that Deco and Ronaldinho are somehow faking their injuries; I have to say I believe that is nonsense and does Barça no favours as it puts pressure on the players to return before they are ready. They should only play when they are 100% ready to play.
Murcia were expected to struggle this year after being promoted last season having finished third in the 2nd Division. However, they have proved to be no pushover in the top flight and currently sit in ninth place on 22 points. Their top scorer is Brazilian Fernando Baiano with 5 goals, but the man in form is Swedish striker Henok Goitom who scored and won a penalty in last week’s 2-0 win over Osasuna.
The three points will be vital to Barça to try and keep some pressure on Real Madrid who this week play on Sunday away to Levante. Barça fans will be hoping that Thierry Henry can continue with the promising form he has shown in the last two games at Mallorca and Sevilla, and Samuel Eto’o will be looking to sign off with a goal before joining up with Cameroon for the African Cup.
The local press are indicating that Rafa Marquez will play in midfield which would see Puyol move back to central defence and a return for Gianluca Zambrotta at right back. However, I feel that the defence should remain as it was and Iniesta should fill in for Edmilson as this would be a more attacking option. Perhaps Zambrotta deserves another chance, but he has been very disappointing this season and is obviously planning on leaving in the summer.
The seventeen named for the game are: Valdés, Oier, Zambrotta, Puyol, Marquez, Thuram, Milito, Abidal, Sylvinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Eto’o, Henry, Bojan, Ezquerro.
Possible Starting Lineup: Valdés, Puyol, Marquez, Milito, Abidal; Xavi, Iniesta, Gudjohnsen; Giovani, Eto’o, Henry.
My Prediction: Barça 3 Murcia 1
Having predicted the Sevilla score I feel I may now be on a roll. What do you think the score will be?
13 responses so far ↓
e10 // Jan 11, 2008 at 15:51
Im feeling confident about this game
A big win has to come soon and i got a felling that this is it.
My prediction is Barca 3-0.
Siim // Jan 11, 2008 at 16:45
3-1 to Barca.
I’d like to see Marquez at DM role, Zambrotta playing as RB and Puyol moved back to CB where he belongs along with Milito.
Blaugrana // Jan 11, 2008 at 19:17
I can smell a rout 5-0 to barça,im not good at predictions so i’ll just say what i wish he he he
Titi186 // Jan 11, 2008 at 20:08
Hopefully Titi’s good form will continue and the return of Messi will not hold him back *Barca fans gasp at someone actually being negative toward Messi*. His one big letdown, perhaps through lack of experience, is his ball hogging and unwillingless to pass the ball when a team mate has an easy tap in.
Dont get me wrong, Messi is the most technically gifted player in the squad but if he did more assists then Henry and Eto’o would have over 40 goals between them and that is not an overestimate.
Real Madrid and most notibly Robinho have realised this and that is why Real Madrid are a massive 7 points clear and Barca are not, and why Robinho is arguably the player of the season so far. Robinho and Messi are similar in position and style but Robinho has been more valuable as a team player than Messi even accounting for Messi’s great solo, albeit unproductive, dribbles.
There is no point dribbling past 4 players and shooting wide just for the sake of it when Xavi, Henry, Iniesta, Deco, Eto’o are ready for a tap in even if it means sacrificing some of the flair of the team. 4 goals and no Messi goals is better than 10 wasted chances and 1 Messi wondergoal.
Real Madrid did not win La Liga with flair. Milan did not win the Champions League with style. So before some Barca fans try to have a go about dissing part of Messi’s game think about these facts mentioned. Barca won fcuk all last season.
As for the game on Sunday I predict only a 2-0 with Barca scoring quite late on but I hope its much more
Titi186
Nic // Jan 11, 2008 at 20:25
Sorry Titi but you do come out with some tosh sometimes -
“if he did more assists then Henry and Eto’o would have over 40 goals between them and that is not an overestimate.”
Considering that Eto’o has been out injured most of the season what you are saying is that Messi should have provided Henry with nearly 40 goals.
And Messi is capable of passing after a great run. Did you not see the run to set up Iniesta against Espanyol?
Speeka // Jan 11, 2008 at 23:35
I got to agree with Nic, you make some valid point’s sometimes, but then go overboard.The venom in your comment’s (in particular towards Ronaldinho, or anyone when compared to Henry) to me suggests, than you still haven’t forgiven us for Paris. I’m glad.
As for tomorrows match, i don’t want to predict the score, but i would like to see the “beautiful” game that the camp nou is world famous for.
FCB - Canada // Jan 12, 2008 at 1:46
I also agree with Nic. Titi If you are going to criticize Ronnie at least do it when he’s played the game and underperformed, yet you bring him up after the Sevilla match. Sure Henry scored (on the backup goalie, Palop might have stopped that one) but it clearly wasn’t a Barca win.
Here’s one to consider what if Henry scored on all the assists he’s had so far? He’d probably be leading the league in goals.
Anyways my prediction is 2-0 Barca. Cheers.
Andrew // Jan 12, 2008 at 4:51
I’d like to see Bojan start
Luis // Jan 12, 2008 at 8:42
the score will hopefuly be 3-0 to barca.if we drop points it could cost us seeing that R.Madrid are playing levante.i think rafa in DF with Puyol and Milito in the center.
Titi186 // Jan 12, 2008 at 14:50
No I havent forgiven you for Paris but thats another story
I just annoyed that Real Madrid who I dispise are 7 points clear when clearly Barca are better in every way. Yes Messi did a good ball against Espanyol but he could be by far the best player on the planet, not the second best to someone who only performs in the champions league I WANT Messi to be the best player in the world thats why I travelled from London to watch El Classico so see people like Messi perform magic on the pitch.
As for my supposed bias toward Henry, he has played sh!t for most of the season I admit but so have Ronnie, Deco, and sometimes Xavi, Zambrotta, the defence.
I feel there needs to be a ‘first-tem’ ie a team of 11 players that would normally start and 5 back-up player not a squad of 16 megastars that will inevitabely play for themselves when they are on the pitch because they feel that they have stand out in order to play next game. No team in the world operates like that; the only team that did was Real a couple years ago and look how they ended up?
Im not bitter or biased completely I just like to dish out criticism to certain players who become better and that includes Henry who needs to up his game phenominally along with Ronnie. Then Barca will become great again.
ps. Sorry if I pissed anyone off it was not intentional
Nic // Jan 12, 2008 at 17:17
No worries Titi. Afterall football would be nowhere near as much fun if we all agreed with each other.
Ed // Jan 12, 2008 at 18:28
I think that some things have to be clean up at the end of the season. It is luxury to have five or four players without any defensive tasks. Henry, Ronnie, Messi, Eto’o ….
Nic // Jan 12, 2008 at 18:53
Team announced for tonight. Abidal, Iniesta and Milito get a rest.
Valdes, Zambrotta, Thuram, Puyol, Sylvinho; Xavi, Marquez, Gudjohnsen; Bojan, Eto’o Henry.
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