[Almogàver]

RACING CLUB vs FC BARCELONA
El Sardinero (Santander) | Sun, Feb 1 | 17:00

​

Tough visit to Santander against a rival that is in good form. This is the kind of games that make you win the league. Santander has never been an easy visit for us and we even got some painful beatings there in the recent times.

The team must try to keep the gap over the rivals in order to destroy their hopes. The rivals marked this day as one of the possible dates to see our Barça dropping points and they're somehow right. Barcelona must keep the concentration and the good level in this important game.

Racing are a team that are aiming Europe. Now, in the winter market, they added Zigic to their solid team. So they still are one of these tough rivals that don't make things easy to the rivals, but now they also have an important threat upfront. Basically, they just need to hang balls up to create danger, not forgetting that Zigic is also a good player with the ball in his feet.

A reminder, they tied in Barcelona in the first round.


SOM-HI BARÇA!

 

[.BLAUGRANA.]

Since I like to repeat myself, this match worries me. I'll settle for a 1 goal win.

Amazing they sold Zigic for a ton of money on now they get him back on the cheap. I read he's on loan, but I heard he was bought back on the cheap. Any idea?

 

[camer]

very difficult game this is going to be. i wouldn't be surprised if we drop pts this sunday, but i really hope we don't. anyways do we know how long puyol is going to be out? We need Puyol and/or Marquez as soon as possible....I can't stand to see both Caceres and Pique back there. we need to be focused 100 % on this one. Tonight's game showed what can happen when you take your foot of the pedal and think the game is already won.

 

[Almogàver]

Since I like to repeat myself, this match worries me. I'll settle for a 1 goal win.

Amazing they sold Zigic for a ton of money on now they get him back on the cheap. I read he's on loan, but I heard he was bought back on the cheap. Any idea?

AFAIK, he's just loaned, I have no news about an option. Anyway, he may finish anywhere, since Emery doesn't like him. So if he plays well, Valencia may use him to take some money... something they need.

Now, today watching Morientes, it's beyond me why they prefer this pre-retired player that is in clear decline over Zigic. It's evident that Villa is in a different league, but Zigic is the kind of player that always gives you results. Even in the few minutes he had in Valencia, he scored his goals.

 

[Kopriva]

Tough game.

Time to end the run and touch the ground for a moment, perhaps?

 

[.BLAUGRANA.]

Tough game.

Time to end the run and touch the ground for a moment, perhaps?

Well Pep made a point in an effort to motivate the team before Numancia (I won't say what it was) and considering we drew Racing last time he might go ahead and make the same point.

 

[Camp Nou]

Going to be a difficult match and especially coming off an emotional close win against Espanyol. Pep should rally the troops and get 'em ready for this win because it's going to be reaaal close. Like Blau said, give me a 1-0 win and I'm happy to leave El Sardinero with that.

 

[Real_Madrid]

Dude, it's J21 p

 

[Moe]

I cannot emphasize how much the 3 points would mean here. Winning away in Santander is going to kill everybody's hopes and this game is a priority before the champion's league restarts.

 

[FC Barcelona9]

very difficult game this is going to be. i wouldn't be surprised if we drop pts this sunday, but i really hope we don't. anyways do we know how long puyol is going to be out? We need Puyol and/or Marquez as soon as possible....I can't stand to see both Caceres and Pique back there. we need to be focused 100 % on this one. Tonight's game showed what can happen when you take your foot of the pedal and think the game is already won.

Puyi is out for around 10 days:

http://fcbtransfers.blogspot.com/2009/01/medical-puyol-out-for-around-ten-days.html

 

[Gade21]

Had a dream we lost this 2-1. :moan:

 

[PetritH]

We must win this one...

 

[mv..]

Don't get nervous. Racing is a good team and can win this, but that's not a big deal. Madrid will probably start to celebrate our vulnerability (firstly they have to win their game) but we will be relieved from the pressure of the streak. Pep knows how to turn defeats in positive manner and even be happy to discover some of the flaws by that.

However, I am optimistic. Madrid will not win and we'll have depressurized legs to attack Racing day after.

Visca el Barça!

 

[Camp Nou]

Puyi is out for around 10 days:

http://fcbtransfers.blogspot.com/2009/01/medical-puyol-out-for-around-ten-days.html

I'm glad it's only 10 days but it's these kind of games where we need his presence and leadership in the back. So I'm guessing Marquez is coming back for this one? Maybe:

Alves - Marquez - Abidal - Slyvinho

Then again, I don't trust Slyvi in a game of this caliber at this time. :moan:

 

[GICA]

Puyi is out for around 10 days:

http://fcbtransfers.blogspot.com/2009/01/medical-puyol-out-for-around-ten-days.html

No problem, we have Caceres :rollani:

 

[CarlosMiguel]

Big trouble game for us. I see it at 50-50 and since they are the fresher team it might even tip even more in their favor. This is a tough part of the season, we can't keep on winning every week, can we?

 

[.BLAUGRANA.]

I'm glad it's only 10 days but it's these kind of games where we need his presence and leadership in the back. So I'm guessing Marquez is coming back for this one? Maybe:

Alves - Marquez - Abidal - Slyvinho

Then again, I don't trust Slyvi in a game of this caliber at this time. :moan:

Pique?

 

[Camp Nou]

Pique will probably start but I don't know considering he just played in the CDR. I don't trust Pique just yet without Puyol next to him monitoring. lol

 

[.BLAUGRANA.]

Pique will probably start but I don't know considering he just played in the CDR. I don't trust Pique just yet without Puyol next to him monitoring. lol

Well considering who is available and who is not, I'd say:

Dani-Rafa-Pique-Abidal

is the best option we have.

 

[FC Barcelona9]

It has to be the mentioned back line by Blau, anything besides that could smell like a huge recipe for disaster. I mean Sylvinho wont play even if Pep's life depended on it, and let's be serious Caceres is not going to play because everyone has seen how much more minutes and experience he needs before he can claim a starting spot. Hopefully Marquez will be fit and ready to play come next sunday, and Alves is an inevitability.

This is going to be a tough game, but hopefully the players will be motivated enough knowing that they are 2 goals shy from the 5000 milestone. I am predicting the following line up:

-------------Valdes--------------
Superman--Marquez--Pique--Abidal
--------------Toure--------------
--------Xavi----Iniesta/Biscuits---
Messiah------Eto'o---Henry/Iniesta