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Champions League Preview: Barça - Shakhtar Donetsk

Monday, 08 December 08, 11:22 AM · Comments (22)

Xavi Hernandez in action in the first game with Shakhtar

As reported yesterday Pep Guardiola has rested eight first team players for tomorrow's Champions League game with Shakhtar Donetsk. This has given the chance for four youngsters to make the squad: full back 19-year-old Alberto Botia, and midfielders Victor Vazquez (21), Xavi Torres (22) and Abraham Gonzalez (23) have all been named in the 18-man squad.

There's not much more to say about the game, Barça are already assured first place in the group and whatever happens Shakhtar will finish third and go into the Uefa Cup. Barça will be hoping to avoid any injuries with the game with Real Madrid on Saturday and we will also hope to avoid defeat to continue our unbeaten run of 20 games. Barça haven't lost since the end of August at Numancia and we need seven more games without defeat to equal the club's all time record of 27 unbeaten games set in the 1973/74 season with Johan Cruyff in the team.

The squad for the game is: Jorquera, Pinto, Martín Cáceres, Piqué, Sylvinho, Botia, Abidal, Victor Sanchez, Gudjohnsen, Sergio Busquets, Keita, Victor Vazquez, Abraham, Xavi Torres, Hleb, Bojan, Eto'o, Pedro.

Possible starting XI: Pinto; Victor Sanchez, Pique, Caceres, Abidal; Gudjohnsen, Keita, Busquets; Bojan, Eto'o, Pedro.

My prediction: Barça 3 Shakhtar 1

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Tags: UEFA Champions League 08/09, Match Previews

Topics: UEFA Champions League 08/09

Posted by fcbnews_nic | Comments (22)

22 Comments · Add yours

1. shahenshah Wrote: | 19.05CET | Dec 8, 2008

oh damn, pedro will be a headache for the shaktar defence

2. layibiyi Wrote: | 22.16CET | Dec 8, 2008

i'll like to see
pinto, pique, caceres, abidal, sylvinho, keita, gudjohnsen, busquets, pedro, bojan, hleb

3. tupacbarca Wrote: | 22.38CET | Dec 8, 2008

------------------------------Jorquera------------------------------
------------------------Pique---------Caceres---------------------
-----Sanchez-------------------------------------------Sylvinho--
------------------------------Busquets------------------------------
------------------------Guddy----------Keita----------------------
-------------Pedro------------------------------Hleb---------------
---------------------------------Bojan-------------------------------

My prediction: Barça 4 Shakhtar 1

4. FCB_Darren Wrote: | 00.37CET | Dec 9, 2008

This gives Bojan much needed minutes..I hope he bags a few!

Pedro & Busquets should be great to watch. We still should win by a few goals.

5. blaugrana_namibia Wrote: | 03.15CET | Dec 9, 2008

Alberto Botia is he a right full back??
because i dont fancy sanchez at right full back

6. blaugrana_namibia Wrote: | 03.18CET | Dec 9, 2008

swtarting eleven almost impossible to predict

7. FCB_Darren Wrote: | 06.33CET | Dec 9, 2008

Tupac barca looks pretty spot on to me.

8. BARCA_FAN Wrote: | 08.52CET | Dec 9, 2008

About Shakhtar being guaranteed to go to the UEFA cup...won't they qualify for the last 16 on goal difference if they beat barca, and sporting lose to Basel??

9. blaugranaboy Wrote: | 10.04CET | Dec 9, 2008

should be an easy game, though they will fight for more than us. at the same time one could argue the 2nd string barca guys will want to put in a good showing for the boss, so i reckon we win it. will be good to stay undefeated and keep the streak going

10. MikeM Wrote: | 11.50CET | Dec 9, 2008

This is the perfect opportunity for the fringe layers to get more minutes and to impress Gaurdiola b4 El Clasico!

Barca 2 - 1

Pedro and Busquets will terrorise Shaktar, Pedro going forward and Busquets breaking up their attacks.

11. blaugrana_namibia Wrote: | 13.59CET | Dec 9, 2008

hahahah schuster fired ,hope he followed my advice about polishing his CV,but he as a FCB legend i totally feel he has been hard done by

12. fcbnews_nic Wrote: | 15.20CET | Dec 9, 2008

BARCA_FAN - No, if teams tie on points the goal difference from the two games between those teams counts first. Sporting beat Shakhtar home and away so they are guaranteed second place.

Teams level on points are separated by:

1) The results of games between the teams in the tie (if tied, by goal difference and then by away goals counting double).

2) Goal difference in all group games.

3) Highest number of goals scored in all games.

4) Highest Uefa ranking over the previous five seasons.

13. fcbnews_nic Wrote: | 15.37CET | Dec 9, 2008

Apologies - I made a mistake, Eto'o is one of the eight rested players while Thierry Henry is in the squad for tonight's game

14. Andrew Wrote: | 15.40CET | Dec 9, 2008

Juande Ramos to Madrid...? Thoughts?

15. Aztecca Wrote: | 16.07CET | Dec 9, 2008

Does anyone know how much money do clubs get for winning a CL group match? That's exactly for what we are playing tonight. And how much is fine for yellow and red card?

Before he went to London I would have loved to see Juande coaching Barcelona because of his insight and experience in Spanish football. Premier League just did not suit for him very well but I'm afraid he'll back to his best at Madrid. We have a hell of a title race ahead of us.

By the way, Nic, I remember last December you had a countdown to El Clásico for a week with stories every day. What about this year?

16. MikeM Wrote: | 18.11CET | Dec 9, 2008

Aztecca, apparently for winning the group stages each club get 25 million Euros, as I read in a report today that Chelsea are playing for 25 million against Cluj.

Juande Ramos surprises me, but it was easy to see that Schuster wasn't going to stay for long. I think Jaunde won't have much time to prepare his new team - they still have all their injuries and the team will need to get used to a new system of play and Jaunde will also need to lift their confidence, can this be done within a week, I certainly don't think so.

17. MikeM Wrote: | 18.22CET | Dec 9, 2008

--------------------Jorquera--------------------
Abidal-----Pique------Caceras -------Sylvinho
--------------------Busquets--------------------
--------------Keita----------- Gudjohnsen---------
Pedro------------------------------------- Hleb
----------------------Bojan---------------------------

Abidal will need some more game time as he doesn't have much match practice, I thought Henry would be rested and Eto'o would be in the squad given that he didn't feature against Valencia.

18. layibiyi Wrote: | 22.32CET | Dec 9, 2008

we losing 2-3, abt 5 mins more with extra time added, hope we come back
to lose d unbeaten run wont be good
the defence has been poor tonight

19. layibiyi Wrote: | 22.41CET | Dec 9, 2008

the unbeaten run is gone. . . .. . .

20. FCB-Holland Wrote: | 22.52CET | Dec 9, 2008

This sucks regardless !!

21. fcbnews_nic Wrote: | 23.43CET | Dec 9, 2008

Aztecca - You have a good memory! It didn't bring much luck last season and I've been horribly busy. I'll try to keep you all up with the build-up as Saturday approaches.

22. BARCA_FAN Wrote: | 23.48CET | Dec 9, 2008

Thanks for your answer Nic, I didn't know that