The Barcelona training ground is starting to look more like a battle ground. The number of injured players the Catalan giants have is more and more worrying after every game. At the weekend they were without Portuguese midfielder Deco, Ronaldinho (who has yet another mysterious injury that the club doctors can’t seem to find), Leo Messi, Giovani dos Santos, Touré Yaya (who still played against Almería despite being in pain), Rafa Márquez, Santi Ezquerro and second goalkeeper Albert Jorquera. Coach Frank Rijkaard had to dip into the reserve side to bring in two youngsters to complete the squad, and with important games coming up like the second leg of the King’s cup against Valencia or the Champions league tie with Shalke 04, the club really needs to get the players back to match fitness as soon as possible.
Barca shouldn’t have too many problems though in this match against Valladolid. The visitors haven’t won in the last three league games (curiously just like Barcelona) and are fourth from bottom with thirty two points, the same as third from bottom Recreativo de Huelva. First though, Barcelona have to play Valencia in the King’s cup semi final on Wednesday. The first leg at the Nou Camp ended in a one – one draw, and they now need to score at least once at the Mestalla stadium to be sure of going through to the final. Frank Rijkaard will probably want to rest some of his key players like Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o (who has also just come back from a serious thigh injury) and will more than likely give the youngsters of the reserve team their debut against Valladolid, as a week later they have to take on Betis away, Shalke 04 in the Champions league quarter final and then Getafe at home in the league. So a complicated couple of weeks for Barca, who could easily ruin a season’s worth of hard draft in just a few games.
This match though will in all likelihood go Barca’s way. Valladolid are going from bad to worse and come the end of the season will be a major contender for the third and final relegation place. A home win then, but don’t expect a four nil thrashing.
Prediction: Home win (1-0)
One Response to “La Liga: Barcelona vs. Valladolid”
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The Barcelona training ground is starting to look more like a battle ground. The number of injured players the Catalan giants have is more and more worrying after every game. At the weekend they were without Portuguese midfielder Deco, Ronaldinho (who has yet another mysterious injury that the club doctors can’t seem to find), Leo Messi, Giovani dos Santos, Touré Yaya (who still played against Almería despite being in pain), Rafa Márquez, Santi Ezquerro and second goalkeeper Albert Jorquera. Coach Frank Rijkaard had to dip into the reserve side to bring in two youngsters to complete the squad, and with important games coming up like the second leg of the King’s cup against Valencia or the Champions league tie with Shalke 04, the club really needs to get the players back to match fitness as soon as possible.
Barca shouldn’t have too many problems though in this match against Valladolid. The visitors haven’t won in the last three league games (curiously just like Barcelona) and are fourth from bottom with thirty two points, the same as third from bottom Recreativo de Huelva. First though, Barcelona have to play Valencia in the King’s cup semi final on Wednesday. The first leg at the Nou Camp ended in a one – one draw, and they now need to score at least once at the Mestalla stadium to be sure of going through to the final. Frank Rijkaard will probably want to rest some of his key players like Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o (who has also just come back from a serious thigh injury) and will more than likely give the youngsters of the reserve team their debut against Valladolid, as a week later they have to take on Betis away, Shalke 04 in the Champions league quarter final and then Getafe at home in the league. So a complicated couple of weeks for Barca, who could easily ruin a season’s worth of hard draft in just a few games.
This match though will in all likelihood go Barca’s way. Valladolid are going from bad to worse and come the end of the season will be a major contender for the third and final relegation place. A home win then, but don’t expect a four nil thrashing.
Prediction: Home win (1-0)
One Response to “La Liga: Barcelona vs. Valladolid”
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Frank Says:
March 18th, 2008 at 11:38 amHey, I find the preview of the match to be really comprehensive. Great post!
My personal observation is that Valladolid plays with a lot less confidence away from home,trying to play the hopeful long ball a bit too much so the Barcelona defenders will probably have it easy.
I predict a 2-1 or 3-1 Barca win for this match though, only on the basis that Barcelona tends to be a bit sloppy against the lesser teams and tend to concede some careless goals pretty frequently.
March 18th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Hey, I find the preview of the match to be really comprehensive. Great post!
My personal observation is that Valladolid plays with a lot less confidence away from home,trying to play the hopeful long ball a bit too much so the Barcelona defenders will probably have it easy.
I predict a 2-1 or 3-1 Barca win for this match though, only on the basis that Barcelona tends to be a bit sloppy against the lesser teams and tend to concede some careless goals pretty frequently.