Not sure if it can be called a derby by now, knowing that 12 out of our 13 latest encounters with Barca in Camp Nou were losses, and some very bad ones. However, it is definitely the match of the week for La Liga.
We will be facing a team that is arguably but very close to definitely the best team on the planet earth for the moment. They are simply unstoppable when in good form, and especially Messi is once again, unfortunately for us, in a GOD MODE.
Yes they drew with Olympiacos in CL, but I saw that match and they were not even near to giving 50%, let alone anything else. Besides, they have beaten and will most likely beat both Juve and Sporting again, so they couldn’t bother much with the Greeks.
I fear this season’s Barca because they have added another element to their game, the unpredictability. You never know what to expect from them, and a good illustration of this is that they can also score from crosses and set-pieces, belie it or not.
Anyway, we are definitely not completely ready for this one, meaning that we had only 1 training to prepare for them and they had 2, a big difference. Moreover, a lot of our players are fatigued from Leganes and Spartak matches, where some really stepped it up and gave 100%.
Will be interesting to see what Berizzo has prepared for tonight. Mercado not available, and Correa not ready I guess.
I’d go with:
Soria
Corchia - Kjaer - Lenglet - Escudero
Pizarro - N'Zonzi
Banega
Navas/Sarabia Mudo/Ganso
WBY/Muriel
Not sure if Nolito is ideal for this match, and we can make use of another midfielder to play a kind of 4-5-1 why not?
Corchia