Anderson Luis de Souza, better known as Deco, returns to the squad for tomorrow night’s second leg Copa Del Rey game with Sevilla (kick off 9pm local time). As usual for Cup games Frank Rijkaard has named a 16-man squad, so there is no place for Saturday’s debutante Pedrito. The players trained this evening and will spend the night at a hotel to prepare the game, as they usually do for important Champions League games.
Sevilla are without a number of players, Keita, Kanoute and Kone on international duty, Palop and Javi Navarro are still injured, and Escude is suspended after being sent off in the 2-0 defeat at San Mames on Saturday. Luis Fabiano is suffering from a cold but is expected to play. Sevilla are quite unpredictable this season but they are not nearly as strong without Keita and Kanoute, hopefully Barça won’t miss Toure and Samuel Eto’o as much.
Milito, Abidal and Iniesta should all return to the starting XI after being rested for the game with Murcia. With Eto’o now away with Cameroon, Barça have only three recognised forwards in Henry, Bojan and Giovani available, though Rijkaard could always employ Iniesta or Gudjohnsen furthur forward.
Barça will be looking to continue with their recent improved form, and Thierry Henry will be hoping to show Camp Nou some more magic. Henry is in a good mood at the moment as his young daughter Tea has been visiting him. I hope he doesn’t get depressed when she goes back to stay with her mother.
The first game finished 1-1 with Henry opening the score but Diego Capel equalized for Sevilla. The away-goals rule will be used if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
Barça’s squad for the game is: Valdés, Oier, Zambrotta, Puyol, Thuram, Milito, Abidal, Sylvinho, Marquez, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Henry, Bojan.
Possible starting lineup: Valdés, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal; Xavi, Marquez, Gudjohnsen; Giovani, Henry, Iniesta.
My Prediction: Barça 2 Sevilla 0
Send your predictions: e10 is still this season’s prediction king with two correct so far.
16 responses so far ↓
Blaugrana // Jan 15, 2008 at 1:51
Zambrotta needs to stay at that right flank puyol is not better than him there especialy naw wen he’s against pacy capel ,i am hoping to see deco shine too,TiTi186 is right R10era slowly coming to an end, giovani will have to prove his worth at that right
Merv // Jan 15, 2008 at 5:28
Funny that you should mention Thierry’s daughter visiting. I noticed at the begining of the Murcia game that he and Bojan were waving at someone in the crowd and wondered at that. I also noticed him being more high-spirited than previous.
It wasn’t until the day after the game I read his daughter was with him. I agree with you and hope that his playing isn’t affected by his daughter returning home to her mom. It has to be difficult. I guess we shall see.
I’m looking forward to seeing Barcelona rise up from all the speculation it has been mired in and shine. I also hope the fans in the stadium will support the team from first to last whistle. As a fan I can understand the impatience but never the lack of faith that leads to boo’ing/whistling your own team.
I’m predicting 3-1 in favor of Barcelona.
Blaugrana // Jan 15, 2008 at 6:46
Barca 3-0 sevilla,
e10 // Jan 15, 2008 at 10:47
Barca 2 - 1 Sevilla
I feel that this is going to be hard fought game for both teams and that Barca will eventually prevail.
Goals from Henry and Giovani.
Siim // Jan 15, 2008 at 11:56
Barcelona 1 - o Sevilla
Titi186 // Jan 15, 2008 at 14:51
I live in England and Im not sute how long Nic had lived there, but Barca’s home fans are a total disgrace. Booing your won team after 20, yes TWENTY minutes is disgusting. The team vindicated themselves by winning 4-0.
Who of you really beleives that booing your team after 20 minutes is benificial to the team. They are second in the league, through to CLeague, still in the CopaDRey, yet still Barca fans boo. The team is slowly improving and are winning, so come on give the team a chance.
Again no R10 I see, shame he could have shined especially with E10 gone and Messi out. He could have proved his worth to the team again in front of his ‘own’ (yes ysed very loosely) fans but we have to wait again.
I’m not one for beleiving that the injury’s are lies; he is injured but this does raise questions about how well his body is coping with constant tme zone changes with Brazil and all the commercial commitments abroad. It cannot be good for anyone, let alone someone already struggling for form. But still, no need to boo him, it is not our call to decide his futuere for him - that is why Rijkard gets paid millions a year
Anyway my prediciton is 1-1 so mark it down please!
Barca Fan_Miki // Jan 15, 2008 at 15:10
1-0 for Barca.Henry will be the scoreer.I ho[e they win and show us a good play and i want Giovani to play and what are all stories about him leaving Barca and goinig in real madrid or somwere else.He better stay here because this is his native club and widaut Barca he would be notting.
Nic // Jan 15, 2008 at 15:12
Titi, you can’t have it both ways. When there are positive things you like to include yourself as a Barça fan, then when there are things you don’t like you criticise as an outsider. To say “Barça’s home fans are a total disgrace” sounds like you are criticising the whole crowd when it only takes a few idiots to be heard. You come across as lecturing my readers which is not fair.
I agree that the fans who whistled were doing the players and the club no favours, but every club (in England also) has fans that don’t know the meaning of “support”.
Nic // Jan 15, 2008 at 15:35
Thanks to everyone who brought my attention to Eto’o’s yellow card on Saturday. I now have it confirmed and have updated my statistics.
FCB - Canada // Jan 15, 2008 at 16:02
2-0 Barca. A shame Ronnie wont be playing. I actually believe he’s faking it for whatever reason. Too much of a coincidence that the 2 injuries he picked came right after the two games he played in which he was booed . That said I still want to see him come back stronger than ever.
Hilal // Jan 15, 2008 at 17:27
Just wanted to comment on what a great site you have provided here Nic! Its also nice to see some fellow Barca fans in the UK. Its hard to find a fellow Barca fan here…. All my mates hate Barca, except the Man Utd fans funilly enough. Liverpool fans are exceptionally bad!! Anyways keep up the good work!
My prediction for tonight 2-1 to Barca, Henry and Iniesta.
Titi186 // Jan 15, 2008 at 17:31
Fair point Nic, however I dont live in Barcelona and am not in the crowd every week so I only go by what I see on TV so I realise its no the whole crowd so to a certain extent I take back what I I have said.
And Nic, to be critical of your own team you support is does not mean I do not support them anymore so please dont be no naive. Some people come on here and crucify the team but yet I get singled out. Even you must get critical of the team sometimes even if you dont express it in the nasty tone of voice I am sometimes guilty of using.
I appreciate EVERYONE’s opinion on here, and please do not want to come accross as “lecturing” anybody. If I have I apologise. I am just outspoken at times
However, I stand by my criticism or Barca’s home fans. I went to the Barca vs. Real Madrid and apart from the opening theme which was absolutely spectacular, the atmosphere was not good enough to call this the most heated rivalry in the world. The only thing the fans were consistant at was whilstling the Madrid players. I just couldnt understand why against such hated opposition that the fans were not vocal in SUPPORT of their own team. They NEEDED to get behind their OWN team.
Dont get me wrong (and please dont say Im being an asshole or hypocritical or something), the experience is a cherished one but I just expected that little bit more you come to expect at games which have such intense rivalty. Ronnie was being hounded by certain sections of his own crowd when just a year ago those fans would have bowed down to him, Madrid were all over Barca for the most part, the team was trying, but they needed that extra push from the fans which sadly they never got.
The Camp Nou is an extraordinary stadium, the city is beyond beautiful even in the month of December, the people wonderful and the club, well it is more than a club - but the fans need to be a little less fickle especially during the hard times.
For all Barca’s ‘big-club’ status they had only won 1 european champions cup beofre the new manager, Rijkard doubled that tally and R10 played a hige part in that but now every week they are the subject of speculation and abuse (on R10’s part). My point is for SOME Barca fans to show more pateince and uphold the integrity of the club otherwise will Schusters comments about the way Barca treat their own players be seen as truthfull? Barca only lost the title on head to head last year so please some people do not be impatient Barca WILL come good even if it is next season.
Again, Nic, I apologise to you or anyone else I have offended but this forum is here to debate and debate I will continue to do.
Blaugrana // Jan 15, 2008 at 19:16
Titi186 WHAT TEAM DO YOU SUPPORT??
kuga // Jan 15, 2008 at 19:33
I totally agree with titi… The only thing that Barca is lacking now is 7 points
and the biggest thing players might need now is support..so Barca fans, even if u r not happy with the teams performance..don’t act like English hooligans and pull down the teams confidence..
Prediction : Barca 2 - 0 Sevilla T.Henry , Bojan
Meggy // Jan 15, 2008 at 20:01
Barça 4 Sevilla 0
liva, from chad // Jan 15, 2008 at 22:53
titi I can swear that you are not a barca fan, so please do not disturb our mind, no barca fan even a 3 hear old will never say:”Barca only lost the title on head to head last year so please some people do not be impatient Barca WILL come good even if it is next season.” you are saying that in full season just half way and you talking about barca coming good next season. I guess you may be a madrid fan or chelsea. plus nobody lives in the past and ignoring the present while dreaming for the future is nonsense. So do not talk about rijkaad’s past or ronnie, the club is spending million’s on them and we fans have also feelings and losing to madrid at home will frustrate any fan to boo them if they are not playing well even just after 5mn.
have to get back to the match.
I hope it will be 0-0 but we will still qualify. ohh we are missing eto’o
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