[Almogàver]

SPORTING C. PORTUGAL vs FC BARCELONA
Jose Alvalade XXI (Lisbon) | Wed, Nov 26 | 20:45

​

The stupid draw against Basel at home had a price and now we visit Lisbon to defend the first position in the group. Even a draw would do fine in this task, but in order to assure that position, the team must win tomorrow.

It's a pity that we were not able to seal that first position in the last game, because our rival will give their best to achieve a historical victory for them that would complicate our lives too much. The team will need to show their best image in the week we start our "grand slam" in La Liga.

If we have to do this effort anyway, I hope it's to win the game, because it'd be terrible to throw away the first place tomorrow, considering how complicated could be our future in the competition.


FORÇA BARÇA!

 

[Filipe Reis]

BENVINDOS!

I am not very optmistic considering the current physical state of our squad and the overall poor football that we've been showing so far this season but as you say these players will want to give it all, not only to grab an historical win but also to give a huge step towards winning a group that everybody expected to be a walk in the park for Barca.

It would be great if we put up a good fight as these are the best possible guests we could ever host in order to have a great game of football.




PS: It's Alvalade

 

[PetritH]

We must win this game.

Visca el Barca

 

[Xavinho]

Puyol and Touré are being rested for this match, so they'll be missing along with Iniesta, Milito, Abidal, and Jorquera.

The squad: Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Sylvinho, Cáceres, Márquez, Piqué, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Sergio Busquets, Víctor Sánchez, Keita, Hleb, Pedro, Messi, Henry, Bojan and Eto'o.

 

[Barca King]

Messi should've kept home, lose, draw or win this game he shouldn't be resked in the sake of the game we could easy win this or even draw it with the players we have, if not, then this team should be avaluated with another big eye on them, we can't force everything on Messi shoulders..

anyway, there is too much to be said, and I'm not in the better mode to say it, peace..

 

[CarlosMiguel]

I think we're in trouble for this match, it's coming at a bad time for us and I think Pep has eyes for other matches while preparing this one. That never turns out well. I think that a draw would be a very positive result for us.

I hope to see Marquez-Pique partnership again so we can actually create from the back again.

 

[VBI]

Messi was dropped at the weekend for this game? Uhh...stupid? Why do that? We're already through, we need La Liga points. Both ourselves and Sporting are through are we not? Glad that Sporting, a club of actual class and tradition are through instead of Shaktar, a club of....well, "something".

I'm not sure. We tend to do well against teams that try to play football, but a bad result at the weekend mixed with Sporting at home might balance that out. I'd probably take a draw. And for the love of Vishnu, don't risk players. If we are winning late on Pep, get the damn stars off the pitch!

 

[Camp Nou]

Training session,

 

[Barcamaniac]

Good to see Bojan laughing again.

 

[Robin]

Good to see Bojan laughing again.

I would be laughing too with his salary at the age of 18 :howler:

 

[Almogàver]

I think we're in trouble for this match, it's coming at a bad time for us and I think Pep has eyes for other matches while preparing this one. That never turns out well. I think that a draw would be a very positive result for us.

I hope to see Marquez-Pique partnership again so we can actually create from the back again.

I also have a bad feeling about this game for the same reasons. The players and all of us are already thinking in Sevilla, it has been like this since last weekend before facing Getafe.

We must achieve at least a draw, because it'd not be nice to lose the first position, which would probably mean that we'd have to face a big team already in the 1/8 finals.

 

[Moe]

we will surprisingly do very well tomorrow

wait and see

 

[CarlosMiguel]

I also have a bad feeling about this game for the same reasons. The players and all of us are already thinking in Sevilla, it has been like this since last weekend before facing Getafe.

We must achieve at least a draw, because it'd not be nice to lose the first position, which would probably mean that we'd have to face a big team already in the 1/8 finals.

I'd like to see what are the final results of the 2nd place teams since the Champions changed to this group stage format. Something tells me that not too many teams who have come through second in their group have gone on to win. It's very important to finish first.

 

[Saphan]

Finishing 1st in the group means you get to play a 2nd team from another group and that you have the home advantage in 1/8 finals (playing 2nd leg at home). Very important game tonight, we need to react and get what we came for. This is our first test of who big this team really is.

Regarding Messi and resting him. If he is fit and in the team, then he should play. Apparently his injury was never an injury, just a scare. We might use him as a joker in the second half, but if he's in the team it means he's fit, so he should play. The game is to important to risk anything.

 

[Ajala]

I am against the whole idea of resting Messi, I think it affects the team negatively, it damages the confidence and esteem of the other players. Also i am sure he wants to play against "week" sides too, he wants to score more goals. He doesn't want to come in only when things are tough and out of control.

Things are complicated now because you rested Messi in the home game against Basel (he came in in the 2nd half though). And remember last year, the team worked hard to close an 8 point gap with Madrid, while Madrid were losing points Frank decided to rest Messi against Atletico and everything went bad from them, ironically Messi got injured few days laster.

my 2 cents, play him whenever he is ready.

 

[Politician]

To be contrary, I think our position is close to unassailable so this game should be another chance for some players to come in and show what they've got. Messi has played almost every game for 90 minutes since the summer Olympics, he has superhuman technique and flair, not superhuman stamina. I think we can afford to save him for Sevilla, but no doubt Pep disagrees since I expect him to play.

 

[DEportivo]

To be contrary, I think our position is close to unassailable so this game should be another chance for some players to come in and show what they've got. Messi has played almost every game for 90 minutes since the summer Olympics, he has superhuman technique and flair, not superhuman stamina. I think we can afford to save him for Sevilla, but no doubt Pep disagrees since I expect him to play.

Although rest is good and everything for Messi, he was rested against Getafe in fear of an injury. And this game is somewhat important to us as the 1st place finish is important in this competition and will give us advantage to the next round. Like other smart people have said beforfe me, every game is important.

 

[CarlosMiguel]

To be contrary, I think our position is close to unassailable so this game should be another chance for some players to come in and show what they've got. Messi has played almost every game for 90 minutes since the summer Olympics, he has superhuman technique and flair, not superhuman stamina. I think we can afford to save him for Sevilla, but no doubt Pep disagrees since I expect him to play.

Unassailable in the sense that we will make it to the group stages, however, Sporting is merely 1 point behind us and they finish with Basel. If we don't at least draw this match it is most likely we will finish second in the group and face a difficult path to winning the CL.

 

[Santos6]

From this Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Sylvinho, Cáceres, Márquez, Piqué, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Sergio Busquets, Víctor Sánchez, Keita, Hleb, Pedro, Messi, Henry, Bojan and Eto'o.
I bet Pep plays this

-------Valdes---------
Alves-Marquez-Pique-Sylvinho
--------Busquets------
Xavi---------Guddy---
Messi---Eto---Henry

 

[totow]

I'm afraid Pep will play Keita again.. Sin embargo, I hope the midfield will look like this..

-------------------------Keita-----------------------------

---------------------------------Sergio B.-----------------

-------------------Xavi------------------------------------