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Preview: Numancia-Barça

Saturday, 30 August 08, 12:42 PM · Comments (30)

Barça begin the league campaign tomorrow against newly promoted Numancia at Los Pajaritos, kick off 7pm local time. The good news is that Leo Messi will be back in the team and apart from the long-term injured Gabi Milito Barça will be at full strength. Rafa Marquez who missed the Wisla Krakow game on Tuesday is also back in the squad while Sylvinho and Pedro have been left out.

Barça have never won away at Numancia, in four visits they have only managed four draws, the last being in the 2004/05 season when Rafa Marquez scored in a 1-1 draw. Numancia coach Sergio Kresic is expected to play a 4-4-1-1 formation with Gorka Brit leading the attack. In their last preseason friendly Numancia beat Zaragoza 1-0 with an injury time winner from defender Sergio Boris. Midfielder Dimas Delgado, who moved from Barça to Numancia this summer is likely to start on the substites bench.

It is important for Barça to get off to a good start especially as after the first league game there is an international break which means there isn't another league game for two weeks. Hopefully the mistakes of Tuesday night will be corrected and the players will go out with the correct mentality. With Messi returning to the forward line, Iniesta will move back to midfield, and Keita will probably start instead of Toure as the midfield pivot. In defence Gerard Pique will probably make way for the return of Marquez.

Barça's squad for the game: Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Puyol, Marquez, Caceres, Piqué, Abidal, Toure, Keita, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Iniesta, Hleb, Messi, Bojan, Eto'o, Henry.

Possible starting lineup: Valdés; Alves, Puyol, Marquez, Abidal; Xavi, Keita, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o, Henry.

My prediction: Numancia 1 Barça 2

Please send your predictions.

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Posted by fcbnews_nic | Comments (30)

30 Comments · Add yours

1. ae_fcbnews Wrote: | 22.32CEST | Aug 30, 2008

Barça will win 3:0. Henry 2 goals, Eto'o 1 goal.

2. blaugrana_namibia Wrote: | 22.47CEST | Aug 30, 2008

2-1

3. blaugrana_namibia Wrote: | 22.53CEST | Aug 30, 2008

why would keita start in place of yaya????

4. SoccerFan Wrote: | 00.02CEST | Aug 31, 2008

I will be conservative and say 2-0 Barça though I am hoping for more.

5. Taras Wrote: | 01.03CEST | Aug 31, 2008

3-0 to Barca.

6. po0oker Wrote: | 01.14CEST | Aug 31, 2008

4-1 to barca ... we can't get out of the Los Pajaritos without the three points

7. FCB88 Wrote: | 07.11CEST | Aug 31, 2008

2-0 barca!...im not gonna sleep well 2nite cuz of over excitement

8. MAQdad Wrote: | 07.29CEST | Aug 31, 2008

2-1 Barca. Goals by Eto and Henry.

9. blaugranaboy Wrote: | 09.22CEST | Aug 31, 2008

i dont predict scores, really doesnt make u clever or not. the only thing im REALLY concerned about is a feeling i get about keita being prefered over yaya. that really kills me

10. Barca-Rotterdam Wrote: | 11.11CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Barca: 3-1
Eto'o : 2 goals......Bojan : one goal !!

11. Barca-Rotterdam Wrote: | 11.44CEST | Aug 31, 2008

blaugranaboy:
I agree with your assessment of Yaya Toure. I think he was the best signing of last year. However, nothing surprises me about Guardiola's judgement. He also has a lot of confidence in Valdes, Henry, Marquez, Abidal and Gudjohnsen !! We can debate the pros and cons of these players but I don't believe that any of them is Barca quality !!

12. Barca4Lyf Wrote: | 13.02CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Barca 3- 0 Numancia

13. po0oker Wrote: | 13.54CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Barca-Rotterdam and blaugranaboy:

i agree with both of u that Yaya toure was the best signing of last year , actually he was one of the best 3 players of last year . signing kita was a good move as we have only one player in that position which will create competition and replacement in case of any injury

14. Joe_Henry Wrote: | 15.18CEST | Aug 31, 2008

No body said Keita is better than Yaya. This should be an easy game. Look I don't think its a matter of better or worse as its a thing of a test. Is he qualified to play in Important games. I think Guardiola is still seeing the team's talent. I Agree with all of you when you say that Yaya is an outstanding player and that till know he has porven to be more important that Keita. But lets not rush things maybe Keita will turn out as good or even better

15. blaugranaboy Wrote: | 17.11CEST | Aug 31, 2008

joe henry: we arent saying yaya is for sure better i just said from what ive seen and read and just a general feeling i get, im scared guardiola prefers keita. having said that, i dont need to rush my opinion, ive seen keita at sevilla and he is NOT better than yaya, not in the position of holding/defensive mid. yaya is younger, much bigger, stronger and still has great technique. what im saying is that hopefully yaya doesnt get snubbed, because then arsenal will swoop in and take him because right now he is the best defensive mid under 25.

rotterdam: so far i trust pep in all his choice but the keita prefernce (if that is the case, i admit that its VERY early days so its no certainty) and maybe the signing of caceres who i admit i dont know much at all about. but im very happy with him being appointed, and i have confidence in him. im not going into valdes, i am a big supporter, and u either love him or dont. i am henry's biggest critic by far but like me, try and give him another chance and what ive seen preseason ive been happy with him THIS year. keepign marquez may not be a bad choice, i would have sold him if a good offer came, but right now i dont know if i trust pique or caceres (because i dont know him) to start. plus he is a good versatile backup. same with gudi, everone knows he is not great anymore, but squads need numbers so keeping him around to play when needed in many positions is useful. i would have kept him. u wouldnt get much cash for him anyway.

that said, THANK GOD LA LIGA IS BACK!!!!! So excited

also has a lot of confidence in Valdes, Henry, Marquez, Abidal and Gudjohnsen

16. fcbnews_nic Wrote: | 18.22CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Oh well, after all that Pep's chosen Toure
Team announced: Valdés, Alves, Puyol, Marquez, Abidal, Xavi, Toure, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o, Henry.

17. Maverick977 Wrote: | 18.40CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Hurrayyyy....game startin in 20 minsssssss....Viva Barcaaaa

18. Diatus Wrote: | 20.25CEST | Aug 31, 2008

woooowww....it is not rocket science...Keita should have started. I said that in the review and here we go. Yaya is a liability because he does not participate in attack. our flow is tooooooooooo sloooooowwwww!!!

19. Barca-Fan Wrote: | 20.42CEST | Aug 31, 2008

$:\$ 1-0

20. FCB88 Wrote: | 20.52CEST | Aug 31, 2008

barca sucks...numancia totally deserved the win.

21. Joe_Henry Wrote: | 20.57CEST | Aug 31, 2008

Oh well there goes the season ! I really can't say a word. We Lost on the opening game from the weakest team. Our newest star was the worst player on the pitch from my point of view. Alves sucked like hell. Helb on the other hand showed good football. Eto'o sucked so did Henry. I can't really blame a 18 year old. Well I actually was quiet calm tonight. After last season there is nothing I wouldn't expect from Barca.

22. june16_1904 Wrote: | 20.58CEST | Aug 31, 2008

lots of big teams seem to be either losing or drawing today. Milan, Roma, Liverpool, Chelsea... maybe there's just something in the air.

23. FCB Maise Wrote: | 20.59CEST | Aug 31, 2008

All that overconfidence in this forum, barca played crap, almost as bad as the did at away games last season. Not too much has changed. They still play like though the centre, soon they are going to be called the one trick pony team. Lets congratulate numancia, they read barca's game so well, and our one true star eric abidal, who let mario all alone to ensure they score. Really all i can see is last season all over again. No urgency, no width, no change in playing style

24. Diatus Wrote: | 21.04CEST | Aug 31, 2008

woow I AM PISSED!

25. FCB88 Wrote: | 21.06CEST | Aug 31, 2008

the bad part is the next game is in like two weeks...on like september 13 or 14...so two weeks just to think about this game...valencia won 3-0 and atletico madrid won 4-0!!!

26. John Wrote: | 21.12CEST | Aug 31, 2008

As the Duke of Wellington once said.. "they came on in the same old way.. and we stopped them in the same old way" We have learnt nothing from last season...very very poor... little has changed from last year!!! If things do not improve the knives will be out for Lapaorta and rightly so!!!

27. Maverick977 Wrote: | 21.12CEST | Aug 31, 2008

What a f**in horrible day...Alves and Abidal were the worst players on the pitch...Messi was the best player, but that's not sayin much cuz the whole team sucked...But, we still ahve 37 more games..don't worry, we will bounce back..

28. Barca-Rotterdam Wrote: | 21.33CEST | Aug 31, 2008

This is an ominous sign . Let's just hope that Barca can finish in the top four to qualify for the Champions League next year !! However, I have no faith in Guardiola's team selections . I find it hard to believe to see Valdes, Abidal ,Henry and Marquez in the starting lineup game in and game out. I'm sorry but if Barca has no players who are better, we are in deep trouble !!

29. etromic Wrote: | 21.38CEST | Aug 31, 2008

not enough creativity in front of goal. i hope our finishing somehow gets better this year. too many 0-0, 1-1 and all sorts of draws and 0-1 losses last season.

30. Kimi10 Wrote: | 21.40CEST | Aug 31, 2008

WTF..How can henry be the starting 11 for barca for his slow and lazy moving! Yeah, what can i say, we have 2 liability players in the game- Henry sucks and Yaya!!