Preview: Barça - Mallorca
Saturday, 03 January 09, 09:02 AM · Comments(12)
La Liga is back this evening with the first game of the new year at home to Mallorca (kick off 8pm). Barça will be hoping to continue the excellent form shown in the last few months of 2008 with a victory which will put us 13 points clear at the top of the table. With the Copa del Rey games to be played midweek this month we can expect to see Pep Guardiola reverting to using more rotations again and seeing as players such as Messi and Alves have only just got back from their christmas break they may be rested for tonight's game.
The good news for Barça is the return of Andres Iniesta who has been out since getting injured against Basle on November 4th, if Messi is rested then Iniesta could replace him on the right side of attack. given the good form of Thierry Henry it will be interesting to see where Iniesta plays in the coming matches, however, this sort of "headache" for Guardiola can only be positive for the team, and the more options we have the better.
Mallorca have been weakened this season since losing Güiza, Ibagaza and Fernando Navarro in the summer and currently sit 17th in the league on 14 points, they haven't won a league match since beating Espanyol 3-0 at the end of October. Without Gúiza and Ibagaza they now rely on Arango and Webo for goals but have only managed 17 so far this season. Mallorca are the last team to beat Barça at Camp Nou in the league having won 2-3 in May in Frank Rijkaard's last home game in charge. In 23 league encounters in Barcelona Mallorca have won three and drawn six while Barça have won the other 14 games.
For Barça it is important to start the new year with a victory to keep the positive dynamic of the team going. The first game after the christmas break is often complicated but I trust in Pep Guardiola to maintain the high level of concentration that we have seen this season, a slip up today could affect the team's self belief and also offer hope to our rivals. Guardiola has again decided not to name the squad until the day of the game to keep everyone on their toes. I expect a comfortable win.
Possible starting XI: Valdés; Alves, Marquez, Puyol, Abidal; Xavi, Toure, Busquets; Iniesta, Eto'o, Henry.
My Prediction: Barça 4 Mallorca 0
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12 Comments · Add yours
nic,
Here is my take on the Iniesta-Henry situation. Iniesta is the best LMF/LW on the club. If he is healthy and fully fit, he should play. Despite the recent improvement in Henry's form, Iniesta is far more creative and technically superior than Henry not to be in the starting linup !!
Mallorca will put up a strong fight and even look to cause early scares which may expose them to the lethal firepower of a prowling Thierry Henry and a rampaging Eto'o.
Iniesta should have another fine evening.
FC Barcelona will win the match, but not without a struggle. In the end, I forsee:
RCD Mallorca - FC Barcelona 0 - 2
FC Barcelona have a lot at stake in tonights show. The Catalan gaints can't afford to lose, as if such occurs a likely win by Real Madrid on Sunday against Real Zaragoza will definitely spell doom for the hopes of the Blaugrana in the La Liga, as Madrid will go 10 points clear at the top. Even a draw is not sufficient for Barca tonight. A win is the only option left for the Catalan giants and with the return of pearl striker Thierry Henry and the smoking form of Samuel Eto'o and Andres Iniesta, a victory for FC Barcelona looks very likely against struggling Mallorca.
How would a Barça's loss combined with a Madrid's win result in Madrid going 10 points clear at the top? Am I missing something here ?
quantus, ACCRA, GHANA what are you talking about???, Zaragoza currently play in the second division. RM face Villareal and they are 12 pts behind us. they can't be 10 pts clear at the top of the table.
Barca 4-0, I'd expect Guardiola to rest several players (i.e alves, messi, toure) and give the fringe players more pitch time. one thing for sure is that Iniesta will start.
i think he is evaluating the difference between this time last year and this year strange how things change huh anyway i expect barca to win 3-1 i hope valdez keeps another clean sheet though he deserves it.
i 2 hope valdez keeps another clean sheet
It seems the question of who should play Henry or Iniesta will have to wait for another day as Pep will probably try and rest Messi since he has a long way to travel.
I think it will be Henry-Eto-Iniesta or maybe Iniesta-Henry-Eto (from left to right).
With the teams dynamic structure I think Pep should try Henry-Eto-Bojan with Iniesta in AMC, as Iniesta's creatvity is undoubted and Henry and Eto without Messi's creativity is not as good.
Should be a good game anyway even though I will probably not be able to watch it as I will have to take the gf out
Hope you all had a good holiday !!
Line up confirmed. Alves, Toure and Messi rested. Iniesta will have to wait his chance. Victor Sanchez at right back.
Valdés; Víctor Sánchez, Puyol, Márquez, Abidal; Xavi, Busquts, Gudjohnsen; Hleb, Eto'o, Henry
Subs: Pinto, Alves, Sylvinho, Keita, Toure, Iniesta, Bojan
Now I'm confused. El mundo deportivo gave the above team but the official club webpage says Toure is playing and Busquets in on the bench. So that gives us:
Valdés; Víctor Sánchez, Puyol, Márquez, Abidal; Xavi, Toure, Gudjohnsen; Hleb, Eto'o, Henry
Subs: Pinto, Alves, Sylvinho, Keita, Busquets, Iniesta, Bojan.
I hope that's right now
I just hope we can win this game somehow. Without Messi, Alves and Iniesta out , I wonder where the offence would come from ?