الثلاثاء، 31 يناير 2017

FC Barcelona announce squad for Copa del Rey semifinal 1st leg against Atlético Madrid

Rafinha returns!

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to the Spanish capital for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atlético Madrid, and Luis Enrique called up 18 players to be in uniform, with good and bad news.

This is the squad in full:


Goalkeepers: 13. Jasper Cillessen, 25. Jordi Masip

Defenders: 3. Gerard Piqué, 14. Javier Mascherano, 18. Jordi Alba, 20. Sergi Roberto, 22. Aleix Vidal, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Jérémy Mathieu

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 6. Denis Suarez, 7. Arda Turan, 12. Rafinha Alcântara, 21. André Gomes

Forwards: 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Neymar Jr., 17. Paco Alcácer


The good news is one of the injury midfielders is back! Although Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta are still not ready to return, Rafinha Alcântara is fully recovered from a hamstring problem and will likely feature against the Colchoneros. The bad news is Lucas Digne is not part of the squad due to an ankle injury, but it shouldn't be anything serious.

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Projected starting lineup (4-3-3):

Cillessen

Roberto - Piqué - Umtiti - Alba

Rakitic - Mascherano - Gomes

Messi - Suárez - Neymar


The match kicks off from Vicente Calderón on Wednesday at 9pm CET / 8pm BST (UK) / 3pm ET, Noon PT (US) / 1:30am IST (India, Thursday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!



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Copa del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg: Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona: Match Preview

Team news, possible lineups, and a preview of Barcelona's Spanish Cup semi-final first leg at the Vicente Calderón

Barcelona return to action this Wednesday for the start of the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Atlético Madrid. It's no surprise that the Blaugrana got the toughest part of the draw, but they come into this match in much better spirits in comparison to what we've seen from the team a month or two ago.

The Catalan giants are unbeaten in seven games and have just two losses in the last 20 games. January has been the month where the team finally looked good and cohesive, and we finally have encouraging signs from a talented squad that relied too much on its superstars instead of good collective performances.

The game against Real Betis was very disappointing, because it took a goal against for the team to wake up and play well. Still, they played well and scored two goals, but only one of them was given. We don't need to talk about that again.

The point is: the last 20 minutes against Betis were GOOD, just as good as the previous wins have been. Sunday's draw taught a clear lesson that it takes 90 minutes to win any game, regardless of the opponent.

When the opponent is Atletico Freaking Madrid, it'll probably take 180 minutes over two legs to win. The first half of a semi-final that feels like a final starts on Wednesday night. Focus, concentration, quality, luck, good referees: Barça will need it all against one of Europe's best teams.

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TEAM NEWS

Barcelona: Marc-André ter Stegen doesn't play Spanish Cup games, and Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Lucas Digne miss out through injury. The good news is the return of Rafinha Alcântara, who missed the last two weeks with a hamstring injury. The Brazilian always seems to get hurt at his best form, but the good news is he always gets to good form time and time again. Hopefully he can bring some spark of quality and individual brilliance against the Colchoneros.

Atlético Madrid: Diego Simeone is missing José Giménez in defense, but Stefan Savic will come in to play alongside Diego Godín, and that means Atléti's defense will be very difficult to break down, as always. They can defend well with 8-year-olds on the team. It's crazy.

Juanfran is discovering his best form as a midfielder instead of full-back, and one of the most underrated players in Spain is a dangerous man at his best (seriously). Ferreira Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann are crazy good and will probably force Jasper Cillessen into some great saves. This team is amazing.

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FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WWWWWD

Atlético Madrid: LWWDDD

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Cillessen; Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; Mascherano, Rakitic, Gomes; Messi, Suárez, Neymar

Atlético (4-1-4-1): Moyá; Vrsaljko, Savic, Godín, Luís; Gabi; Juanfran, Saúl, Koke, Carrasco; Griezmann

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MATCH PREDICTION

Alright, I'm going to be optimistic: 2-2 draw. Yes, that's optimistic, because two away goals are gigantic. Or I'm just terrified of Atleti and I think a draw is a win at Calderón. Who knows.



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FC Barcelona News: 31 January 2017; Barça launch bid for Uruguayan defender on Deadline Day

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Santiago Bueno: The Uruguayan starlet Barcelona are moving for | Diario Sport
Barcelona have launched a move for a Santiago Bueno, the 18-year-old Uruguayan who is one of the most promising players in his country. SPORT revealed the news of the imminent transfer of the player, who stands out for his ability on the ball and his speed.

How the top of La Liga would look without this season's refereeing errors - Diario Sport
The La Liga table would have a different look if this season's incorrect refereeing decisions were taken into account. It would mean that Barcelona jump ahead of Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid side, although the latter would still have their game in hand.

Barcelona socios increasingly worried about Messi's future at the club - Diario Sport
Lionel Messi's contract renewal is now one of Barcelona socios main concerns, according to results from the club's bi-annual survey.

The incredible effect Luis Suarez has on FC Barcelona - Diario Sport
The No 9 has scored in 67 of the 125 games he has played for Barcelona in since debuting in October 2014. And whenever Suarez has scored, Barcelona have not lost. He has 105 goals across the 67 games, which ended in 63 victories and 4 draws.

Barcelona and Real Madrid target Gelson to sign new deal - Diario Sport
Interest from big european sides including Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Portuguese international saw the club meet his wage demands.

Rafa Marquez admits regrets over his departure from Barcelona - Diario Sport
Mexican defender Rafa Marquez ended his career with Barcelona in June 2010. After seven seasons and 242 official games, he left for MLS after becoming the eighth foreign player to make the most appearances for the Blaugrana. Now, in his final days as a player with Atlas, he admits he left European football too soon.



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الاثنين، 30 يناير 2017

Barcelona 2016 Summer Signings Mid-Season Review

How have the newbies fared so far?

With the 2016-17 season coming to the half-way point, FC Barcelona find themselves in a familiar but unorthodox situation. The club is through to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, in the last 16 stage of the UEFA Champions League and are second on the log in La Liga Santander, 4 points behind current table toppers Real Madrid who have a game in hand. Although the latter is not favourable to the club, it still does not rule out the possibility of ending the season with another La Liga title, because anything can happen in the final 18 games.

Barcelona have done relatively well with the available squad, even though they had to spend two months without the services of an injured Lionel Messi, one month without Andrés Iniesta and the entirety without a recognized right-back. The 5 players who were brought in during the summer had to play their roles effectively, and although they could have done it better, it’s safe to say that they have somewhat helped the team, along with a rejuvenated Arda Turan.

The first player to make a real impact was Samuel Umtiti, who started the season brightly with strong and confident performances. He gradually integrated himself into the team with his early performances and a couple of Barça fans already began calling for him to start games ahead of Javier Mascherano. He had an injury lay-off after that and has since lost his initial form but he could yet improve.

Next in line was Lucas Digne, he brought a different aspect to Barcelona’s style by being more direct than Jordi Alba and contributing less in inter-play. He’s more defensive minded and provides more crosses. Denis Suarez has had a fine season so far. Although he had a slow start, he has settled adequately into the team and has done his job well enough to avoid any real criticism. He links up well with Messi and provides support to the right-back. He creates chances, defends when he needs to and can score beautiful goals too.

Paco Alcacer on the other hand, has had it tough. He has struggled to find any sort of form in front of goal and has hardly been involved in any build-up play. He would find himself isolated in most games and would squander all of his goal-scoring opportunities. Lately however, he has had better performances, especially after scoring his first official goal for Barça in the second leg of the Copa del Rey last 32 clash against third division side Herculés. But his inconsistent performances is understandable because of his lack of appearances. André Gomes however, has no real excuse for his inconsistency. He’s had the second most appearances (14) among the 5 summer signings but is yet to genuinely stand out.

Bought for an alleged sum of €35 million, he has not YET lived up to the fee. He has had mediocre performances so far, with a few good ones, most notably in the Champions League group stage game in the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. Although he has had to play in different positions throughout the season, it cannot justify his inconsistency halfway through the season. He has the potential, and all he needs is confidence and the backing from the manager. It’s time for him to step up.

So far this season, the 5 summer signings have been fairly decent. They were not expected to excel, but to provide depth to the squad, so that the team would not burn out towards the final stages of the season like they did the previous year. A few of them still need to improve, but they have collectively shown that they have what it takes to represent this iconic club and will continue to do so. With the business end of the season coming up, it is safe to say that Barcelona have a bright group of players that will help carry the team through the finish line.



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Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: Video Analysis

A video analysis of the goals in the Barcelona - Real Sociedad match.

Hello BB readers. I wanted to try something new and utilise the video format a bit more so created this goals analysis of the last Barça match. Apolgies if it’s a little rough around the edges but it should hopefully improve over time. Let me know how you like it and any suggestions/improvements you have! Also if there is any more video content you would like to see, let me know!



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FC Barcelona News: 30 January 2017; Barcelona Move to 2nd Place, Will Face Sporting Gijon on 1 March

FC Barcelona v Sporting, Wednesday 1 March at 7.30pm CET | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona v Sporting Gijón will be played on Wednesday 1 March at 7.30pm CET. The game comes in Week 25 of the league and will be played at Camp Nou hot on the heels of Barça visit, also in the league, to take on Atlético in the Calderón.

League Video Highlights: Real Betis vs FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique's team were held to a 1-1 draw in the Benito Villamarín, Luis Suárez's late equaliser cancelling out Àlex Alegría's opening goal for the home side. See all the key moments of the game in Seville and from other games this season in our highlights' videos.

FC Barcelona’s draw at Real Betis, by the numbers | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona took a point away from the Benito Villamarín on Sunday in a fiercely disputed match. It was not the result the Catalans were after, but Luis Suárez’s late equaliser at least meant the visitors did not leave empty handed. The goal puts the Uruguayan at the top of the league’s scoring charts with 16 goals, one more than teammate Leo Messi and four more than Cristiano Ronaldo (12).

FC Barcelona schedule for another week with Copa del Rey and Liga fixtures | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona have another league and cup double-header ahead of them this week. Midweek they’ll be at the Vicente Calderón for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final with Atlético Madrid and on Saturday they have a league meeting with Athletic Club at the Camp Nou, a side they have already met in 2017 in the round of 16 of the cup.

Rival Watch: Atlético Madrid lose further ground after goalless draw, Athletic Club win and PSG suffer late heartache | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona face Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday, and Diego Simeone’s side will not enter the tie in the highest of spirits after only being able to pick up a point during their latest league match.



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الأحد، 29 يناير 2017

Barcelona's Offense continues to rampage through all opposition

On to the Semis of the Copa del Rey.

When I first saw all the changes to the starting eleven, I had a faint whisper of a doubt as to whether we would emerge victorious from this quarter-final fixture. We haven’t struggled that much this season, and granted our losses and ties came at the start of the campaign, but whenever we struggled to come away with the victory from a match we also heavily substituted the gala eleven. In this occasion, I understand we hadn’t much of a choice, what with injuries and all, but I still felt apprehension. Coming away with a tremendous, complete victory goes to show that Barcelona has, indeed, improved. The defense is much stouter, and the youngsters in the midfield are proving to be wise additions. Real Sociedad is not the easiest of opponents, and quite frankly we trod all over them roughshod.

Speaking of defense, while it might not be our strongest suit, and not precisely because of the defense itself, it is still solid enough where we might win everything. We might cough up some goals on occasion, but if our defense is solid enough then there is no stopping our offense. That’s the real pearl of our organization. Give our offense enough time, and they will certainly tear anyone to shreds. As it stands currently, we are in the running for every single piece of silverware, and call me an insufferable popinjay if we don’t win at least two. It will be quite interesting to see how we fare in our upcoming competitions, what with the difficult challenges we face in facing Atlético and PSG.

Irish Goat’s Gamboling Goleadores!

1st Goleador: Luis Suárez

The Uruguayan Lion retains his claim to the number one spot of the goleadores. He had another terrific game with an assist and a goal. Dennis might have scored two goals, but Suárez’ work rate and ability were essential to this victory. His goal was a show of force, and evidence to support his claims to being the best number nine in the world.

2nd Goleador: Lionel Messi

Man, this guy is incredible. Let’s be honest here, lads, do you really want me to prattle on about his genius, or would you rather I shut up so that you may continue fantasizing about him? I think part of the reason I watch baseball year after year is to sub-lobotomize myself out of boredom to then reach new euphoric heights when I see sweet ol’ Barbarossa score a true screamer. Ah, the delights of youth.

3rd Goleador: Javier Mascherano

I relished the return of el jefecito to his natural position. He played a stunner of a game and provided much needed solidity in the midfield what with Busquets out with injury. Perhaps we will see more of him in his position.

As always Visca Barça!



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FC Barcelona News: 29 January 2017; Barca Salvage Point Amid Controversy, Barcelona B Draw

Real Betis 1-1 FC Barcelona: Suarez salvages late point | FC Barcelona
Whether the result means that Barça have gained one point or dropped two is a matter of opinion after a dramatic lunchtime encounter on Sunday ended 1-1. Betis have yet to lose at home under Victor Sánchez and today we got to see why, but right at the final gasp Luis Suárez made sure the Catalans at least got something out of this game.

Luis Suarez rescues point for Barca with late strike at Real Betis after 'ghost goal' controversy | Eurosport
The away side should have equalised moments after Alex Alegria’s opener for Betis, with a goalmouth scramble resulting in the ball being bundled over the line. But the officials failed to spot it, prompting fresh debate about the lack of goal-line technology in Spanish football.

Luis Enrique: We rescued a point | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona rescued a point away at Betis thanks to Luis Suárez’s late equaliser in the Benito Villamarín. That, at least, was the opinion of Barça boss Luis Enrique after the game. “We rescued a point and I look at that as positive,” concluded the Asturian.

Barça B 1-1 Alcoyano: Gumbau comes to the rescue | FC Barcelona
Barça B were on the verge of home defeat to second placed Alcoyano, who would have become first placed Alocoyano had things stayed that way. But Gerard Gumbau stepped up with an absolute corker of a goal four minutes from the end to secure a 1-1 draw at the Miniestadi.



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La Liga News: 29 January 2017; Atletico Madrid Drop Two Points, Alexandre Pato Set for China

Real Madrid's recent crisis of confidence opens up La Liga again | ESPN
There's no trophy handed out for it, but Real Madrid claimed another title last week. And then, three days later, they lost one. Knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Celta de Vigo, and their dreams of a treble gone, Zinedine Zidane's side, European and World champions, are at least Spain's "Winter Champions" -- an honorary title bestowed upon the team that's top of the table at the halfway stage of the season.

Ronaldo's wingman: Madrid & Cristiano need Bale back to win the big prizes | Goal
It seems a long time ago now. The last time Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey was in 2014 and Gareth Bale produced the winner with a remarkable run down the wing and finish past Jose Pinto to beat Barcelona at Mestalla.

Lacklustre Atletico Madrid held at Alaves | Eurosport
Even with the King's Cup semi-final first leg against Barcelona coming up on Wednesday, Diego Simeone fielded a full-strength team against Alaves but he watched his side get outplayed by the Basques, who are without a win in the league in 2017. Alaves defender Victor Laguardia struck the underside of the bar with a hooked volley in a strong first-half display from the home side, Brazilian forward Deyverson somehow heading over the bar on the rebound from close range.

Alexandre Pato set to join Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian from Villarreal | ESPN
Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato is set to join Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian just six months after signing for Villarreal. The former AC Milan and Chelsea striker reportedly underwent a medical in Rome on Saturday and was pictured in a Tianjin shirt in Spanish sports daily Marca.



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Real Betis 1-1 FC Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: Match Review

A poor perfomance from Barca and the referee...

The Blaugrana went to the Villamarin after a dominating performance midweek against La Real. Despite a slow start, the Blaugrana had managed a decent run of form, having won five games on the trot in all competitions. The Green and Whites needed a miracle to take any points from the fixture.


First Half:

Luis Enrique threw a curve-ball at Betis, with an experimental line-up. Gerard Pique was the only starting defender in the XI alongside the likes of Vidal, Digne, and Mathieu. In midfield, Ivan Rakitic started at pivot alongside Denis Suarez and Arda Turan. The attacking triumvirate remained up front, with Ter Stegen starting in goal.

In the opening minutes of the game, Betis came out all guns blazing, as they looked to press Barca high up the pitch, which resulted in the first shot of the game, straight at Ter Stegen.

Some great interplay in the final third, allowed Aleix Vidal to slip unmarked on the overlap. His teasing lobbed ball, was set up perfectly for Luis Suarez on the far post, but in vain.

Despite facing some trouble against the Betis’ defence, the Blaugrana were holding onto the ball well, and were spending plenty of time around the opposition box; the chances were starting to materialise, and a goal looked to be on the cards.

Betis on the other hand, were pressing better than the Blaugrana, and while their chances were few, they looked more dangerous than the away team, as the game began to unfurl.

Ceballos forced a stunning save from Ter Stegen, as the German palmed away a powerful long range effort from the top corner. While the German had received plenty of criticism in the previous fixtures, he looked in fine form on the afternoon.

The home side looked lethal on the counter, as they exploited space well, and continued to pound at Barca’s goal every chance they got. While the game had appeared one-sided initially, it looked more open than expected, as half an hour passed by.

Nearing forty minutes, Barca had their first serious attempt at goal, as Lucas Digne’s run through the middle found Messi, who conveniently set-up Neymar for a shot in the box with a defence-splitting through-ball. The shot was straight at former Madrid-man Adan, but it seemed like a sign that the Blaugrana were beginning to pick up some much needed pace.

Betis however, countered once more, which forced a rash challenge from Gerard Pique. The Catalan walked away without protest as the official pulled out a yellow card from his pocket.

Both teams entered the tunnel empty handed, as the referee called for half time.

Second Half:

Betis began the half on the front foot, as they once more, looked to be the more dangerous side on the pitch. Their high press was forcing mistakes in abundance, and the Blaugrana seemed unable to catch-up with the home side.

If the first half was disruptive for the Catalans, then the second half was catastrophic.

The Blaugrana were behind in chances, shots, and were misplacing passes like they were playing for a Sunday-League side.

The likes of Ruben Castro, Ceballos and Alegria continued to get into good positions repeatedly, and threaten the Blaugrana. The Sevilla side continued to give Barca a torrid time, and take dangerous shots. If it weren’t for the goalpost and Ter Stegen, the scoreline would have been lopsided by the 60th minute in favour of the home side. The introduction of Andre Gomes (Denis), Alba (Digne) and Roberto (Arda) had little effect on the scoreline.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Alegria was the one to draw first blood for Betis, as the forward capitalised on a Ter Stegen error, and slotted the ball in from close range.

The moment Betis got ahead, Barca continued to display a sense of urgency which resulted in two potentially game changing moments, of which one was a wrongly disallowed goal, and the other was a goal-line clearance.

However, Barcelona weren’t going to leave the Villamarin without a fight, as Lionel Messi once more created a goal out of thin air for Luis Suarez, who despite an invisible night, slotted the ball home with a clinical finish, to level the scores.

With barely any time added on, the game came to an end after three pips.


Real Betis needed a miracle to take any number of points on the afternoon, and they got theirs, in a fatigued, disjointed Barcelona. With more than one variable going against the Catalans, it might be hard to accurately hold someone accountable for the draw. But the one thing that isn’t up for debate, is that Luis Enrique needs to understand the strengths of his players, if he is to rotate the squad effectively in the future.

Until next time...



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Real Betis 1-1 FC Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: Match Review

A poor perfomance from Barca and the referee...

The Blaugrana went to the Villamarin after a dominating performance midweek against La Real. Despite a slow start, the Blaugrana had managed a decent run of form, having won five games on the trot in all competitions. The Green and Whites needed a miracle to take any points from the fixture.


First Half:

Luis Enrique threw a curve-ball at Betis, with an experimental line-up. Gerard Pique was the only starting defender in the XI alongside the likes of Vidal, Digne, and Mathieu. In midfield, Ivan Rakitic started at pivot alongside Denis Suarez and Arda Turan. The attacking triumvirate remained up front, with Ter Stegen starting in goal.

In the opening minutes of the game, Betis came out all guns blazing, as they looked to press Barca high up the pitch, which resulted in the first shot of the game, straight at Ter Stegen.

Some great interplay in the final third, allowed Aleix Vidal to slip unmarked on the overlap. His teasing lobbed ball, was set up perfectly for Luis Suarez on the far post, but in vain.

Despite facing some trouble against the Betis’ defence, the Blaugrana were holding onto the ball well, and were spending plenty of time around the opposition box; the chances were starting to materialise, and a goal looked to be on the cards.

Betis on the other hand, were pressing better than the Blaugrana, and while their chances were few, they looked more dangerous than the away team, as the game began to unfurl.

Ceballos forced a stunning save from Ter Stegen, as the German palmed away a powerful long range effort from the top corner. While the German had received plenty of criticism in the previous fixtures, he looked in fine form on the afternoon.

The home side looked lethal on the counter, as they exploited space well, and continued to pound at Barca’s goal every chance they got. While the game had appeared one-sided initially, it looked more open than expected, as half an hour passed by.

Nearing forty minutes, Barca had their first serious attempt at goal, as Lucas Digne’s run through the middle found Messi, who conveniently set-up Neymar for a shot in the box with a defence-splitting through-ball. The shot was straight at former Madrid-man Adan, but it seemed like a sign that the Blaugrana were beginning to pick up some much needed pace.

Betis however, countered once more, which forced a rash challenge from Gerard Pique. The Catalan walked away without protest as the official pulled out a yellow card from his pocket.

Both teams entered the tunnel empty handed, as the referee called for half time.

Second Half:

Betis began the half on the front foot, as they once more, looked to be the more dangerous side on the pitch. Their high press was forcing mistakes in abundance, and the Blaugrana seemed unable to catch-up with the home side.

If the first half was disruptive for the Catalans, then the second half was catastrophic.

The Blaugrana were behind in chances, shots, and were misplacing passes like they were playing for a Sunday-League side.

The likes of Ruben Castro, Ceballos and Alegria continued to get into good positions repeatedly, and threaten the Blaugrana. The Sevilla side continued to give Barca a torrid time, and take dangerous shots. If it weren’t for the goalpost and Ter Stegen, the scoreline would have been lopsided by the 60th minute in favour of the home side. The introduction of Andre Gomes (Denis), Alba (Digne) and Roberto (Arda) had little effect on the scoreline.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Alegria was the one to draw first blood for Betis, as the forward capitalised on a Ter Stegen error, and slotted the ball in from close range.

The moment Betis got ahead, Barca continued to display a sense of urgency which resulted in two potentially game changing moments, of which one was a wrongly disallowed goal, and the other was a goal-line clearance.

However, Barcelona weren’t going to leave the Villamarin without a fight, as Lionel Messi once more created a goal out of thin air for Luis Suarez, who despite an invisible night, slotted the ball home with a clinical finish, to level the scores.

With barely any time added on, the game came to an end after three pips.


Real Betis needed a miracle on the afternoon to take any number of points on the afternoon, and they got theirs, in a fatigued, disjointed Barcelona. With more than one variable going against the Catalans, it might be hard to accurately hold someone accountable for the draw. But the one thing that isn’t up for debate, is that Luis Enrique needs to understand the strengths of his players, if he is to rotate the squad effectively in the future.

Until next time...



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WATCH: Luis Suarez equalizes vs. Real Betis in 90th minute

At long last.

After scoring a clear goal that wasn’t given by the linesman or the referee, Barcelona have finally notched their equalizer in the 90th minute thanks to Luis Suarez. A frustrating match has finally turned in Barca’s favor after a string of unfortunate events.

Lionel Messi slipped Suarez through on goal and he did what he usually does and took the chance with clinical precision. The late goal salvages a draw for the Blaugrana, but they’ll be leaving this match with a sour taste in their mouths feeling they could have had more.



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Real Betis vs Barcelona, 2017 La Liga: Final Score 1-1, Barça play bad, get robbed of goal, rescue point

UGH...

Barcelona had a five-game winning streak in all competitions snapped, but they still managed to escape with a 1-1 draw against Real Betis. The Blaugrana played very bad football, but were robbed of a clear goal and scored late in the game to leave Seville with a point.

FIRST HALF

Barça started well, using possession and off-ball movement to open spaces and find chances, but no real opportunity to trouble Adán was created. Betis slowly started to grow into the game thanks to a fierce high pressure that forced the Blaugrana into some bad mistakes with the ball. Rubén Castro was the most dangerous player of the half, and Ter Stegen had to make some saves.

But the best chance of the half belonged to the Catalans, when Leo Messi played a perfect through ball to Neymar, who came close to scoring the opener but the shot was stopped by Adán's shoulder.

At halftime, a mediocre performance from Barça, and they were lucky not to concede in the opening period.

SECOND HALF

More of the same. Very poor game from Barça, and a Betis time pressing high and forcing some amazing saves out of Ter Stegen. The hosts continued to miss great chances, but ultimately got the goal they deserved: Álex Alegría found the back of the net and put Betis in front. In the very next play, Luis Suárez shot the ball and Mandi cleared it on the line, but the ball was already over the line. It was clearly a goal, and nobody called it a goal.

Barça never gave up, though, and Lionel Messi played a great ball to Luis Suárez who equalized the game. Barça tried to find the game-winner, but couldn't and we finished with a draw.


Real Betis: Adán; Piccini, Mandi, Pezzella, Tosca, Durmisi; Pardo (Donk), Petros (Navarro), Ceballos; Alegría (Nahuel), Castro

Goal: Alegría (75')

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Vidal, Piqué, Mathieu, Digne (Alba); Rakitic, Denis (Gomes), Arda (Roberto); Messi, Suárez, Neymar

Goal: Suárez (90')



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Barcelona robbed of goal; Here’s your obligatory goal line technology headline

Barcelona robbed.

Barcelona have been robbed of a clear equalizing goal late in their league match away to Real Betis. After the hosts took a shock lead late in the match, Barca had the ball over the line just minutes later, but unfortunately the linesman nor the referee could see it and didn’t call it:

Replays show that the ball was clearly over the line without any debate. However, from full speed it was impossible to say with 100% certainty that it did cross the line.

This is a clear case that goal line technology would have correctly given the goal to Barcelona and at least earned them a crucial point in the title race. If La Liga eventually do make the right choice to implement the proven technology, expect this exact moment in this game to be one of the main causes.

Yes, GLT does cost a lot of money, but as the Premier League has proven, it avoids calls like this from having to be made by the human eye. Please get it done, La Liga.



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Real Betis vs Barcelona, 2017 La Liga: Confirmed Lineups, Live Game Thread

Live game thread for Barcelona’s La Liga match against Real Betis.

La Liga: Jornada 20

Benito Villamarín, Seville, Andalusia, Spain

Kickoff: Sunday, 29 January 2017, 12:00 CET

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

*****

Starting Lineups

*****

Real Betis: 13. Antonio Adán, 12. Cristiano Piccini, 23. Aïssa Mandi, 20. Germán Pezzella, 21. Alin Toșca, 14. Riza Durmisi, 5. Petros, 10. Dani Ceballos, 7. Rubén Pardo, 24. Rubén Castro, 19. Álex Alegría

Substitutes: 1. Dani Giménez, 2. Rafa Navarro, 3. Álex Martínez, 4. Bruno González, 11. Matías Nahuel, 15. Ryan Donk, 18. Roman Zozulya

Coach: Víctor Sánchez

*****

Barcelona: 1. Marc-Andre ter Stegen; 22. Aleix Vidal, 3. Gerard Pique, 24. Jeremy Mathieu, 19. Lucas Digne; 4. Ivan Rakitić, 7. Arda Turan, 6. Denis Suarez; 10. Lionel Messi, 9. Luis Suárez, 11. Neymar Jr

Substitutes: 13. Jasper Cillessen, 14. Javier Mascherano, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 18. Jordi Alba, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Andre Gomes, 17. Paco Alcacer

Coach: Luis Enrique



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A Fan's Perspective: Does Barça's right flank need Vidal?

السبت، 28 يناير 2017

Real Betis vs Barcelona 2017: game time, TV channels, and how to watch La Liga online

Barça cannot drop any points in the league, not even in tough road games

A string of very positive results (and a slip in form from Real Madrid) has brought Barcelona right back into the race for the La Liga title. Stubborn Sevilla don't seem to be stepping away and letting Barça catch Madrid alone, so it really looks like a three-horse race for the trophy this season, and that will be very fun to watch.

Although the Blaugrana trail Madrid by only two points, the Blancos still have a game in hand to play and could open a five-point gap if they win that extra match, so the job for Barça right now is not to drop any points and keep an eye on their biggest rivals to see if a door opens for a real title push.

The next challenge for Barcelona is a trip to Seville, not to face Sevilla, but their local rivals, Real Betis. The Verdiblancos have just two wins in their last seven league games, but play at home and can cause Barça some big problems with their pace on the wings and playmaking ability in midfield.

Key players for the Catalan giants are injured, but Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar are all healthy. The 'MSN' has been on fire lately, and they'll need to keep the momentum going if they want to keep Madrid on their toes.

This will be a fun match at an early kickoff, a really good reason to get up early on Sunday. Do it.


Date/time: Sunday, January 29, 2017, 12pm local time, 6am ET, 3am PT (USA), 4:30pm IST (India)

Venue: Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

TV: beIN SPORTS (USA, Canada), Sony ESPN SD/HD (India), Sky Sports 2 (UK), other listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: beIN SPORTS CONNECT (requires beIN SPORTS/FuboTV subscription) (USA & Canada), FuboTV (24-hour free trial) (USA & Canada), Sky GO (UK)

Radio: Audio streamed at fcbarcelona.com



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FC Barcelona announce squad for La Liga match against Real Betis

Ter Stegen is back, but that's it

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to the Andalusia for a crucial La Liga match against Real Betis, and coach Luis Enrique called up 18 players for the trip.

This is the squad in full:


Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 25. Jordi Masip

Defenders: 3. Gerard Piqué, 14. Javier Mascherano, 18. Jordi Alba, 19. Lucas Digne, 20. Sergi Roberto, 22. Aleix Vidal, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Jérémy Mathieu

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 6. Denis Suarez, 7. Arda Turan, 21. André Gomes

Forwards: 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Neymar Jr., 17. Paco Alcácer


The only change from Thursday's Copa del Rey win against Real Sociedad is on goal, with Ter Stegen returning to his usual league duties and Jordi Masip staying home. No changes in the injury department as Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Rafinha Alcântara are still out with physical problems. It's really short in midfield right now.

*******

Projected starting lineup (4-3-3):

Ter Stegen

Vidal - Piqué - Mathieu - Alba

Rakitic - Mascherano - Arda

Messi - Suárez - Neymar


The match starts at 12pm CET / 11am BST (UK) / 6am ET, 3am PT (US) / 4:30pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!



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La Liga: Real Betis vs FC Barcelona: Team News, Match Preview

Can the Blaugrana make it six wins on the bounce?

The games keep coming thick and fast for FC Barcelona as they seek to extend their winning streak to six matches with a victory over Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin tomorrow midday. With a Copa del Rey semi-final encounter against Atletico Madrid to look forward to, there is no respite in sight for the Blaugrana but there is a real belief in Catalunya that Luis Enrique’s side have found their form and are beginning to really build some momentum for the remainder of the campaign.

Star players are finding form; injured talismans are set to return in the coming weeks to further bolster the squad and confidence is at a season high. It barely seems to matter where we are playing, or who we are playing against; whether it’s Real Sociedad at the Anoeta, or perhaps a mid-table side like Las Palmas or Eibar the end result has been the same in recent weeks: a Barcelona win, often in convincing fashion.

Barcelona are undefeated in their last six away fixtures in La Liga and overall they boast the best away record in the division, so while a trip to Seville isn’t exactly the easiest fixture we could have hoped for, there’s no reason why we can’t continue our streak tomorrow.

With Real Betis currently languishing in 14th place, Luis Enrique will know what kind of match to expect tomorrow afternoon. This is a side that perform well at home, but are often shy of goals. Their confidence is low having managed just one win in their last five matches and the last time they welcomed one of the traditional big two to the Benito Villamarin, Real Madrid thrashed them 6-1.

Can the Blaugrana emulate Los Blancos tomorrow and emerge with their sixth successive win, or will the hosts take advantage of the packed fixture list to cause an upset.

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

At the time of writing, details regarding Luis Enrique’s selection for tomorrow’s match were sparse. There had been no announcement regarding the 18-man squad that would venture south for this match, and as such, no confirmation if either Andres Iniesta or Rafinha Alcantara would be considered fit enough to return to action.

With that in mind, let’s embark on a little bit of guesswork. Influenced by the fixture schedule and the upcoming trip to the Vicente Calderon, I think this will be the match that Luis Enrique will choose to rotate his squad a little more heavily. Nothing dramatic, but by the same token, don’t expect Andres Iniesta to be thrown back into the fray with so many important games coming up.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen will start in goal, and that’s perhaps one of the only spots that is set in stone tomorrow. Ahead of him, we could easily see Aleix Vidal rotate in at right-back given his recent performances – and perhaps taking that theory one step further, we could even see a return of the 3-4-3 if Enrique was feeling particularly adventurous. Vidal could then feature on the right-flank, with Lucas Digne on the left, and with Javier Mascherano featuring alongside Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu (or Samuel Umtiti).

In theory, this wouldn’t even require Enrique to amend his usual selection; Denis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Andre Gomes would fight it out for the two interior roles, and the entire selection could seamlessly switch between the conventional 4-3-3 and this more unorthodox 3-4-3 as and when it was deemed necessary.

In attack, Lionel Messi will start nominally on the right, and in the absence of Sergio Busquets it has been interesting to see the Argentine drop a little deeper than usual – not into a false nine role, but rather into a midfield role in which he can help his team retain possession and find openings. It’s for this reason that I would be tempted to go with Vidal, and he offers a more natural threat on the overlap. In the remaining two spots, Neymar should continue to start given his return to form, while I once again will predict a start for Paco Alcacer, even if Luis Suarez will probably still be preferred.

REAL BETIS

With his side perhaps further down the table than he might have liked, Real Betis coach Victor Sanchez has been busy in the transfer market this week, signing two new faces to join the team. Ruben Pardo was signed on loan from Real Sociedad and will bolster the midfield ranks, while Romanian international Alin Tosca was signed from Steaua Bucharest for a fee of €1 million.

Both players go straight into the squad for this one, and they are joined by the returning Aissa Mandi, who is back after a spell on the sidelines. It goes without saying that Ruben Castro still leads the line for Real Betis, and as per usual he is the only player in the squad with more than three goals to his name thus far this season.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: DWWWWW

Real Betis: WLLWLD

LAST MEETING

FC Barcelona 6-2 Real Betis – 20th August 2016 – La Liga

The Blaugrana got their season started in style with an emphatic win at the Camp Nou as a hat-trick from Luis Suarez, coupled with a brace for Lionel Messi more than cancelled out Ruben Castro’s two-goal haul.

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Vidal, Pique, Mathieu, Digne; Mascherano, Rakitic, Denis; Messi, Alcacer, Neymar

Real Betis (3-5-2): Adan; Pezzella, Donk, Mandi; Piccini, Pardo, Petros, Ceballos, Tosca; Castro, Zozulya

MATCH PREDICTION

We actually quite like our trips to the Villamarin; this will be no exception. 4-1 to the visitors.



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FC Barcelona News: 28 January 2017; Focus Back on La Liga, Neymar Reaches Ronaldinho Milestone

Real Madrid top La Liga with Barcelona in third - but how close is the title race? | FC Barcelona
With the exception of four back-to-back draws starting in late September, Zinedine Zidane's men have hogged the La Liga summit this season. But Real's unbeaten record ended with a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla this month, followed by a 2-1 loss at the hands of Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey. As a result, Real are now only one point ahead of Sevilla in La Liga, but have one game in hand.

FC Barcelona's Samuel Umtiti, aka The Wall | FC Barcelona
The light-hearted side of the first team’s day to day at the Ciutat Esportiva was on show during Friday’s training session. On this occasion, Luis Enrique’s men were warming up with their customary ‘rondo’ exercise and the French international, Samuel Umtiti, was on the receiving end of nutmeg attempts from Jordi Alba and Digne.

From Cillessen to Messi: The minute that changed the game against Real Sociedad | FC Barcelona
It was the 53rd minute at the Camp Nou. Barça were playing Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter final. The home side were leading 1-0 on the night thanks to Denis Suárez, and 2-0 on aggregate. Things were going smoothly, but an away goal for the Basques would have changed things dramatically. It would have put them just a goal away from qualification and set things up for a nail-biting finale.

Neymar Jr draws level with Ronaldinho | FC Barcelona
Neymar Jr has drawn level with fellow countryman Ronaldinho for number of goals scored in an FC Barcelona jersey. The Brazilian winger netted his 94th goal for the club in the closing stages of the 4-0 win over Eibar on Sunday evening.

FC Barcelona's key moments against Betis at Villamarín | FC Barcelona
Undefeated at Benito Villamarín since 2009. FC Barcelona have a record of two draws and three victories in their last five visits to Betis’ ground. Two 2-2 draws in succession in the 08/09 season and the 11/!2 season were followed by three victories: 1-2 (12/13), 1-4 (13/14) and 0-2 (15/16).



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الجمعة، 27 يناير 2017

FC Barcelona News: 27 January 2017; Barça beat Real Sociedad in Copa quaterfinals, draw Atlético Madrid in semifinals

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique praises Messi’s role in finishing off Real Sociedad - FC Barcelona
The Barça head coach fielded questions on everything from the keys to the game to who he'd like to see in future rounds

FC Barcelona midfielder Denis Suárez says he and Messi share ‘special connection’ - FC Barcelona
The 23-year-old was elated after scoring twice to help propel Barça into the Copa del Rey semifinals

FC Barcelona v Real Sociedad: On to the semis! (5-2, 6-2 agg.) - FC Barcelona
A brace from Denis Suárez and further goals by Leo Messi, Luis Suárez and Arda Turan send Barça into the final four of the Copa del Rey

Cup victory against Real Sociedad, by the numbers - FC Barcelona
Denis Suárez and Leo Messi are among the names mentioned in our analysis of FC Barcelona's 100th win against the side from San Sebastián

From Cillessen to Messi: The minute that changed the game against Real Sociedad - FC Barcelona
Just moments after Willian José was denied the chance to get Real Sociedad back in contention in the Copa del Rey quarter final, Neymar Jr's dazzling charge and Leo Messi's spot kick as good as confirmed that Barça were going through

Atlético Madrid for FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals - FC Barcelona
The first leg will be played in the Vicente Calderón on Wednesday 1 February at 9.00pm CET with the return at Camp Nou on Tuesday 7 February, also at 9.00pm CET



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The Divergence Away from the Barça Way

Barcelona is a club obsessed with a philosophy and a way of playing but the football elite has shifted away from it.

The term tiki-taka is said so often it has seemingly lost it’s meaning. Barcelona popularised this style of play during their era of dominance between 2009 and 2013 but itt is now used as a simplistic label of a passing game. In reality, passing comprises only a small subset of the footballing ideology.

The phrase tika-taka is considered to be the child of Spanish commentator Andrés Montes. An onomatopoeic description of when a team pings (ticks) the ball between each other. But it is not tiki-taka alone that excelled Barça and Spain to the top of the footballing tree.

Many consider Pep Guardiola to be the poster boy of tiki-taka but he himself has rubbished the term

“I hate tiki-taka. Tiki-taka means passing the ball for the sake of it, with no clear intention. And it's pointless.”

At first glance, it seems Guardiola is dismissing the style that saw him win numerous trophies at Barça but in reality he is dismissing such a simplistic term to cover a wide-ranging philosophy embedded in from the start at Barça.

Barça’s style does revolve around passing but it is passing with conviction and a purpose. Every pass is an attempt to create space or holes in an opponent’s defence. A cross field pass from the halfway line is not to simply switch the play, it is to stretch the compacted defences that Barça so often came up against. If tiki-taka was accurate, every Barcelona player would never leave their half. But even still, there seems to be a negative stigma attached to this style. Perhaps it is because the system can leave you vulnerable if you fail.

The reality is, you have to have players of extreme quality to be able to make it work. You need players who can consistently find their teammates in tight areas, who can happily put together passing sequences that are 20+ passes strong. This is simply not the case for the majority of cases. Without a Xavi, without an Iniesta, without a Messi this style of play becomes next to impossible to compete with at an elite level.

Take Guardiola at Manchester City for example. He has good passers such as David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne but he does not have a team of them yet. Having one or two good ball players makes it easy for your opponent to mark them out of the game and render your strategy useless. It takes years of development to achieve. Johan Cruyff installed the philosophy at Barça but it did not bring instant results. It requires patience that the modern football world does not have. With managers losing their jobs every one or two years, it makes it extremely different to have any real effect on the way a club, not just a team, plays.

The vogue style of play is a counter-attacking one. Strong, tall, athletic players over smaller but more technical players. It is a method that does produce immediate results and works well in the modern era. It was only in the years after Barça’s success that clubs attempted to play a controlling game but without the sufficient preparation and infrastructure, the majority of elite teams have switched back to their regular style of play.

Barça themselves have fallen pray to it. Under Tata Martino, they switched to a pace-driven counter-attack and tried to maximise Messi, Neymar and Sánchez. The reality is it significantly lessened the impact Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had on the play. Barça subsequently won zero trophies that season and Martino lost his job. Under Luis Enrique however, Barça have reintroduced the controlling nature but it is not the same as it was under Guardiola. The midfielders have become more physical as has the forward line through the introduction of Luis Suárez.

This means the team is unlikely to get bullied off the ball but a good execution of Barça’s philosophy meant this was never going to happen anyway. Now, opponents play against Barça knowing they can challenge them in a physical aspect whereas before, there were very few who could get close to Barça’s technical level.

The loss of Xavi was not as immediately apparent as it perhaps should have been. He was fazed out during his final year but there hasn’t been anyone to come in and play that kind of role. That job fell to Iniesta but as discussed before, this technique requires eleven players of technical excellence to achieve and too much reliance on one player leaves the system unbalanced. This is not to say Ivan Rakitić was not a good replacement for Xavi, it is to say Rakitić is more of an Enrique midfielder than a Guardiola one.

Barcelona’s next managerial appointment will be an extremely interesting one. A continuation down Enrique’s path may be forced depending on the style of the incoming boss but there seem to be fewer and fewer coaches who are dedicated to the Barça way.



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Copa del Rey 2017 semifinal draw, results: FC Barcelona to face Atlético Madrid

GREAT! ATLETI! SO LUCKY!

Barcelona eliminated Real Sociedad from the Copa del Rey on Thursday and advanced to the semifinals, and the Spanish Federation took the time on Friday to draw the last four teams in the Spanish Cup in two semis matchups.

And, SURPRISE!!! Barcelona gets the toughest draw of them all.

That's right. Barça will face Atlético Madrid over the next two weeks to find out who gets a spot in the Copa Final. The first game will be played at the Vicente Calderón, and the decisive return leg will take place at Camp Nou, which is probably the only good news coming out of the draw. At least we get to play at home.

The Blaugrana and the Colchoneros have become real rivals since Luis Enrique took charge as Barça manager in 2014. These two sides have faced each other multiple times, and Diego Simeone has always brought his best defensive gameplan to face the Catalan giants.

Barça has a great league record against Atleti, but in Cup competitions it's a tight race. Since 2013, they've faced each other in four different knockout matchups, with two wins for Barça (2013 Spanish Super Cup, 2015 Copa del Rey quarterfinals) and two wins for Atlético (2014, 2016 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals).

The other Copa del Rey semifinal is between Deportivo Alavés and Celta Vigo, who knocked out Real Madrid in the quarterfinals thanks to a goal from Cheryshev.



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الخميس، 26 يناير 2017

Barcelona 5-2 Real Sociedad, 2017 Copa del Rey: Match Review

Recap of the action from Barcelona’s semi-final clinching Spanish Cup win against Real Sociedad.

Barcelona won their place in the semi-final of the 2016/17 edition of the Copa del Rey, besting Real Sociedad 6-2 on aggregate, winning the second leg 5-2. A solitary Denis Suarez goal in the first half got things rolling for the Catalans before an offensive outburst after the break. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Arda Turan kept the Barcelona scoring machine going before Denis completed his brace late in the game. Juanmi and Willian Jose scored the consolidation goals for the visiting side.

While Real Sociedad started the match with the same lineup as they did in the first leg, Barcelona made several changes. Jordi Alba replaced Lucas Digne in defense and the entire midfield was replaced. The injured Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta were replaced by Javier Mascherano and Andre Gomes. Denis also started in midfield.

Similarly to the match at the Anoeta, the match began with the two sides battling an intense midfield battle with Real Sociedad looking to force a turnover deep in Barcelona territory. With the visitors needing to outscore Barcelona in this match, Barcelona weren’t overly aggressive in attack and rarely overcommitted people forward. Mascherano almost always remained deep, taking on more of a destroyer role instead of a more Busquets-like deep playmaker.

As a result, the Barcelona defense saw plenty of action, especially after you account for some easy clearances that weren’t made. But because Real Sociedad were forced to attack, Barcelona looked to exploit their lack of numbers in defense. And the Catalans did just that after Samuel Umtiti forced a deep turnover on the left side in the 17th minute. Neymar picked up the loose ball and passed it to the middle to Messi. Messi extended the play further to Suarez who cheekily played the ball to Denis with the outside of the boot. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, Denis made no mistake and calmly slotted the ball inside the far post, scoring his second goal in two matches.

Five minutes later it appeared Barcelona doubled their lead after Suarez (Luis) was played through and chipped the ball over Gerónimo Rulli before regaining control and passing into the empty net, but the play was ruled dead for offside. On the other side of the pitch Barcelona dealt with any Basque attacks very well and Jasper Cillessen didn’t need to make his first save until the 35th minute, and that one came from terrible angle.

Real Sociedad were the team that (desperately) needed goals, but the Basque’s were very ineffective in attack. Whenever Barcelona got into the opposing third of the pitch they looked dangerous, but those occurrences were rare in the first half. The majority of the first half was fought out in midfield and the fans at the Camp Nou didn’t witness more than a couple Barcelona chances, one of which the Catalans converted.

The halftime break brought one change in the Barcelona side. Sergi Roberto picked up a knock while battling out for a high ball with Carlos Vela and Gerard Pique midway through the first. He was replaced by Aleix Vidal.

The hosts started brightly, attacking almost from the get-go, causing some problems to the Barcelona back-line, resulting in a complete breakdown in the 54th minute. Xabi Prieto excellently played the ball through to Vela who had it cleared away right into the path of Willian who powered a low shot on goal, but Cillessen made an excellent save. Barcelona immediately launched a counter attack and before the 54th minute was over, Neymar was brought down in the area for a penalty kick. Messi took responsibility, Rulli guessed right, but the Argentine’s shot was too accurate and Barcelona were up 2-0.

The second half continued with its excitement eight minutes later as the visitors pulled one back. Inigo Martinez played a fantastic over the top ball to the onrushing Juanmi, who joined the action just minutes earlier, and Real Sociedad’s top scorer excellently chipped the ball over Cillessen to give the visitors some hope. But that hope was short lived. The very next minute Barcelona restored the two goal lead. Messi played a perfect pass forward to Suarez who powered his way on goal before slotting the ball under Rulli.

Luis Enrique brought some fresh legs to the midfield in the 68th minute as Mascherano made way to Ivan Rakitić. But that didn’t bother Real Sociedad all that much as they were firmly standing behind their plan of “not going quietly into the night”. In the 72nd minute the Basques again pulled one back, this time through Willian who headed the ball out of Cillessen’s reach after an excellent cross from the right side into the soft spot between the Barcelona center-backs.

Lucho reacted immediately, bringing on the physical presence that is Arda Turan in place of Neymar. It turned out to be a very good substitution as after just five minutes the Turk scored his fourth goal of the Copa del Rey. Again the play started on the left side and after numerous passes the Catalans had an extra man on the right side. In space, Vidal had time to look up and pick his target on the far post, where Suarez and Arda escaped coverage. The cross found Arda who tapped the ball into the empty net.

The very next minute Barcelona scored again, and again Messi’s brilliance was on full display. Under heavy pressure from defenders, Messi not only maintained possession, but he also played a perfect through ball to Denis who was making a run through the middle. With only the goalkeeper to beat, the young Spaniard decided to skip around Rulli and pass the ball into the empty net.

With the tie decided, both sides launched a handful of attack in the remaining time, but neither team changed the scoreboard. Barcelona won their place in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, but will have to wait for the draw to determine who their opponent will be.



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Barcelona vs Real Sociedad, 2017 Copa del Rey: Final Score 5-2, Barça advance to Cup semifinals

VICTORY!

Barcelona will play the Copa del Rey semifinals for a third straight season under coach Luis Enrique thanks to a 5-2 second leg win over Real Sociedad (6-2 on aggregate). The Blaugrana had a tough night against a good opponent, but extended their first leg advantage and picked up a great win to be part of the Spanish Cup Final Four.

FIRST HALF

The initial period was very similar to the game we saw in the first leg: Barça trying to keep the ball, but struggling to overcome a Sociedad side pressing high up the pitch, that forced goalkeeper Cillessen to kick the ball long for the whole of the first half.

But when they did get the ball to the attacking half, Barça managed some good high pressure of their own, and that tactic worked when Neymar stole a ball close to the box, found Messi, who found Luis Suárez, who found Denis Suárez, who found the goal.

Not much happened in the half, and the Blaugrana had a two-goal aggregate lead. One more goal and the tie would definitely be over.

SECOND HALF

After just 10 minutes, the tie-killing goal came thanks to another play we saw in the first leg at Anoeta. Neymar pushed the ball on a one-man counter, and won a clear penalty in the box. Lionel Messi stepped up and easily scored the second.

Sociedad got a goal back with Juanmi, but Luis Suárez scored 30 seconds later to keep a healthy advantage for the hosts. Willian José scored with 15 minutes to go and gave La Real a small chance, but they still needed two goals. Actually, three, because a great team play led to Aleix Vidal finding Arda Turan for the fourth goal. Actually, four, because Denis Suarez scored his second of the game and Barça's fifth.

Big win! Semifinals! Where's Real Madrid?


Barcelona: Cillessen; Roberto (Vidal), Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; Denis, Mascherano (Rakitic), Gomes; Messi, Suárez, Neymar (Arda)

Goals: Denis (17', 82'), Messi (55'), Suárez (63'), Arda (80')

Sociedad: Rulli; Elustondo (Odriozola), Navas, Iñigo, Yuri; Illarramendi; Vela (Juanmi), Zurutuza, Prieto (Canales), Oyarzábal; Willian José

Goals: Juanmi (62'), Willian José (73')



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WATCH: Arda Turan and Denis Suarez finish off Real Sociedad

WATCH: Luis Suarez extends Barcelona’s aggregate lead over Real Sociedad

WATCH: Suarez-to-Suarez connection opens scoring vs. Real Sociedad

Barcelona have taken the lead in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Real Sociedad, extending their aggregate lead to 2-0. It’s Denis Suarez on the scoresheet again after scoring his first goal for the club on the weekend.

via r/Soccer

It was a beautiful passing sequence that saw Messi find Luis Suarez who then laid off a great one-touch pass into the path of the other Suarez who finished for the goal. A lovely goal that you come to expect from Barcelona.



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Barcelona vs Real Sociedad, 2017 Copa del Rey: Confirmed Lineups, Live Game Thread

Live game thread for Barcelona’s Spanish Cup match against Real Sociedad

Copa del Rey: Quarter-Final, 2nd Leg

1st Leg Result: Real Sociedad 0-1 Barcelona

Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Kickoff: Thursday, 26 January 2017, 9:15pm CET

Referee: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez

*****

Starting Lineups:

Barcelona (4-3-3): 13. Jasper Cillessen; 20. Sergi Roberto, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 3. Gerard Pique, 18. Jordi Alba; 14. Javier Mascherano, 21. Andre Gomes, 6. Denis Suarez; 10. Lionel Messi, 9 Luis Suarez, 11. Neymar

Substitutes: 25. Jordi Masip, 24. Jeremy Mathieu, 19. Lucas Digne, 22. Aleix Vidal, 4. Ivan Rakitić, 7. Arda Turan, 17. Paco Alcacer

Coach: Luis Enrique

*****

Real Sociedad (4-3-3): 1. Gerónimo Rulli | 15. Aritz Elustondo, 22. Raúl Navas, 6. Iñigo Martínez, 19. Yuri Berchiche | 4. Asier Illarramendi, 10. Xabi Prieto, 17. David Zurutuza | 12. Willian José, 11. Carlos Vela, 18. Mikel Oyarzabal

Substitutes: 25. Toño Ramírez, 29. Álvaro Odriozola, 3. Mikel González, 8. Esteban Granero, 32. Kévin Rodrigues, 16. Sergio Canales, 7. Juanmi

Coach: Eusebio Sacristán



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FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online

The Blaugranes fight for a Spanish Cup semifinal place

Barcelona are right back in action on Thursday night in Spain, as the Catalan giants open up the Camp Nou doors for the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals against Real Sociedad. Barça broke a 10-year winless streak at the Anoeta Stadium with a vital 1-0 away victory, and they'll be hoping to protect the lead and book a place in the Spanish Cup semifinals.

It won't be easy, though. Sociedad are a dangerous team and have played amazing football all season. They always give the Catalans a fight and have talented forwards who can score at Camp Nou and make the game very interesting.

But the world's best team won't want to let anything strange happen, and the 'MSN' trio will hope to be on the scoresheet to guarantee a place in the Final Four.

This will be very fun. Don't miss it.


Date/Time: Thursday, January 26, 2017, 9:15pm local time, 8:15pm BST (UK), 3:15pm ET, 12:15pm PT (US), 1:45am IST (India, Friday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

TV listings: beIN SPORTS En Español (US & Canada), elsewhere

Live stream: beIN SPORTS CONNECT, FuboTV (US & Canada), elsewhere

(Listings via LiveSoccerTV)

Note: You can watch every Barcelona match in all competitions this year thanks to the awesome FuboTV service. United States and Canada users can watch legal, high-definition streams of all Barça matches on PC, Tablet, phone and connected TVs for only $9.99 a month. Sign up right now!



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FC Barcelona News: 26 January 2017; Javier Mascherano Returns to Match Squad, Barcelona Launch New App

Javier Mascherano back for Copa del Rey second leg against Real Sociedad | FC Barcelona
The Barça squad has been announced for Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarter final second leg at the Camp Nou. It was already known that the injured Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Rafinha would be missing out on the match with Real Sociedad, while Luis Enrique has decided to leave Ter Stegen out of the team for the 9.15pm CET kick-off as well.

Match Preview: FC Barcelona v Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey | FC Barcelona
Having sauntered out of an Arctic-esque Anoeta last week with not just a quarterfinal first-leg victory but also a crucial away goal tucked firmly under the arm (Highlights below, Match Report), FC Barcelona return to Camp Nou Thursday night amidst a sublime run of form that has them brimming with confidence as the second leg and a seventh successive semifinal berth in the Copa del Rey hang in the air like a tennis ball begging to be put away with an overhead smash on match point.

Luis Enrique not worried about absentees against Real Sociedad | FC barcelona
For the Barça coach the absences of Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Rafinha in midfield is something that the team can deal with. “I have plenty of options,” revealed Luis Enrique before resisting temptation to make public who would replace Busquets in the centre of midfield.

All about FC Barcelona's cup quarter final opponents | FC Barcelona
Real was originally founded as the football section of the San Sebastián Recreation Club in 1905. King Alfonso XIII regularly spent his summer vacations in the city and in 1909 endorsed the club’s current name of Real Sociedad de Fútbol, which translated to English means the ‘Royal Football Society’.

When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Real Sociedad | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona face Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals this Thursday at 9.15pm CET. Luis Enrique’s men want to ensure they qualify for the semi-finals of the cup competition following his side’s single-goal winning margin at Anoeta given to them by Neymar Jr’s strike. The Blaugranas are looking to stay in the competition in an attempt to win the cup for the third year in a row.

Luis Enrique sidesteps questions over Barcelona future as scrutiny continues | Sky Sports
Barcelona are only two points off leaders Real Madrid in La Liga - though Zinedine Zidane's side have a game in hand - but have underwhelmed in a string of games this season and face competition from Jorge Sampaoli's second-placed Sevilla, as well as their fiercest rivals.

FCB Fantasy Manager, the new Barça app | FC Barcelona
Users can challenge all other players of the game, compare progress with friends and prove that they are the best equipped to lead FC Barcelona and look after stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar Jr, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and the rest of the team.



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La Liga News: 26 January 2017; Celta Vigo Eliminate Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid Advance in Copa del Rey

La Liga hoping international outreach continental glory can help league grow - ESPN FC
Selling Spanish football to the world means moving past local club allegiances and old ways of thinking, La Liga's head of international sport projects Fernando Sanz tells ESPN FC. Throughout the past three years, La Liga has devoted considerable resources to growing its brand internationally, with ex-Real Madrid forward Raul Gonzalez the most high-profile face as country manager for the United States.

Celta Vigo 2-2 Real Madrid (4-3 agg): Zinedine Zidane's side out of Copa del Rey | Sky Sports
The La Liga leaders, who lost the first leg by a 2-1 scoreline to their eighth-placed opponents at the Bernabeu, remained in contention to advance until an 85th-minute goal from Daniel Wass effectively secured Celta's progress to the competition's final four.

Real Madrid form not a worry for Zinedine Zidane after Copa del Rey exit | Sky Sports
A 2-2 draw on the night at Balaidos saw Celta Vigo progress to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate. Real have now failed to win in three of their last four games following a Spanish record 40-match unbeaten run and next face Real Sociedad on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to play until he is 41 but does not see himself as a coach | Sky Sports
The Real Madrid forward turns 32 early in February, and penned a five-year deal with the club in November, insisting he wants to finish when he is 41. And the Portuguese star, who also says he does not believe he will be a coach or manager, insists if he feels good, he will keep playing and playing.

Eibar 2-2 Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone's side cruise into Copa del Rey semi-finals | Sky Sports
Holding a comfortable 3-0 first leg lead, Atletico boss Diego Simeone left top scorer Antoine Griezmann back in the Spanish capital, while Diego Godin and Koke were also left on the bench. However, there was no hope of a famous comeback for Eibar on their first ever appearance in the quarter-finals once Jose Maria Gimenez fired home a corner to open the scoring four minutes into the second half.

Las Palmas striker Sergio Araujo issues apology for attitude off the pitch - ESPN FC
Las Palmas striker Sergio Araujo has issued an apology for "my attitude off the pitch" after departing on loan to AEK Athens until the end of the season. The Spanish club announced that the 24-year-old Argentine will play the next five months in Athens subject to a medical.

Adrian Ramos joins Granada on loan ahead of Chongqing Lifan summer move - ESPN FC
Adrian Ramos has completed his loan move from Borussia Dortmund to Granada ahead of joining Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan in the summer. Ramos, 31, had been linked with a move away from the Westfalenstadion, having struggled for game time at Dortmund and appearing mainly as a substitute.



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FC Barcelona announce squad for Copa Del Rey quarterfinal second leg against Real Sociedad

Nobody returns, but Ter Stegen gets a rest

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana welcome Real Sociedad to Camp Nou for the second leg of the Copa Del Rey quarterfinals, hoping to defend a one-goal lead and advance to the semifinals. Luis Enrique has called 18 players to be in uniform in this match.

This is the squad in full:


Goalkeepers: 13. Jasper Cillessen, 25. Jordi Masip

Defenders: 3. Gerard Piqué, 14. Javier Mascherano, 18. Jordi Alba, 19. Lucas Digne, 20. Sergi Roberto, 22. Aleix Vidal, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Jérémy Mathieu

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 6. Denis Suarez, 7. Arda Turan, 21. André Gomes

Forwards: 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Neymar Jr., 17. Paco Alcácer


Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Rafinha Alcântara are injured, and Marc-André ter Stegen gets a rest in Spanish Cup matches, so the only 18 players remaining in the squad will be in uniform.

******

Projected starting lineup (4-3-3):

Cillessen

Vidal - Piqué - Mascherano - Digne

Rakitic - Gomes - Denis

Messi - Suárez - Neymar


The match starts on Thursday at 9:15pm CET / 8:15pm BST (UK) / 3:15pm ET, 12:15pm PT (US) / 1:45am IST (India, Friday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!



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الأربعاء، 25 يناير 2017

Copa del Rey: FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: Team News, Match Preview

Can the Blaugrana book their place in the semi-finals?

Following an impressive 1-0 win at the Anoeta last week, FC Barcelona have one foot in the semi-finals of the 2016-17 Copa del Rey, and they will be hoping to finish the job tomorrow evening when they welcome Real Sociedad to the Camp Nou for the return leg. With Atletico Madrid and Alaves currently confirmed in the final four at the time of writing, Barcelona could face a relatively easy or comparatively tough route to the final, but of course they must first take care of the task at hand.

It is true that Real Sociedad have not won at the Camp Nou in their last 21 visits over the past 25 years, but just as we broke our Anoeta jinx last week, Luis Enrique will be preaching the importance of focus and the dangers of complacency to his squad. Even with an aggregate lead to their advantage, and an away goal in their name, Barça will likely need another goal tomorrow to put this tie to bed, and that's at a minimum.

Eusebio Sacristan refuses to give up hope that his side can engineer a comeback, and we know that his players are not the type to give up easily. Some of their squad still feel aggrieved about the officiating in the defeat, so they have a chip on their shoulders and will be eager to prove that last week's loss was a one-off. The Blaugrana on the other hand have multiple issues on their mind. Not only does the Copa del Rey require a certain level of concentration and effort, but the quest to bridge the gap at the top of La Liga also requires the squad to be at the top of their game from here on in. Playing late on Thursday is far from ideal, and the idea of rotations is sure to be on Enrique's mind.

For instance, does the birthday boy, Luis Suarez sit out his first game of 2017, and if he does, how does this impact our chances of ending this tie early? Contrary to popular belief, the job of a top class football manager is far from simple and no doubt that whatever his decision, there will be some Culés who will criticise Enrique irrespective of his decision at game time tomorrow.

As his side shows signs of returning to their dominant best, does Enrique stick with the “Gala XI” and attempt to maintain that momentum, or does his rotate and keep the whole squad engaged? We’ll soon find out.

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

The good news is that FC Barcelona can welcome Javier Mascherano back from suspension; the Argentine is expected to slot straight back into the starting line-up alongside Gerard Pique, who was rested for the weekend’s win over Eibar at the Ipurua. There is a chance that Aleix Vidal could also rotate back into the line-up after his cameo appearance on Sunday, but I would suspect that the substitution is more likely to indicate that Sergi Roberto will retain his usual spot at right-back. Meanwhile, Lucas Digne is likely to get the nod at left-back, as Enrique continues to promote the healthy competition brewing on the left-side of defense.

In midfield, the injury to Sergio Busquets may not be as bad as it first seemed, but it does leave the Blaugrana short of options at pivote. Javier Mascherano could move forward to play in the role he typically occupies for Argentina, but whether that is seen as an adequate replacement given the different style employed in Catalunya remains to be seen. I suspect that the pivote spot will instead be reserved in this instance for Andre Gomes. I’d love to see Sergio Roberto given a shot there, but that would perhaps be an experiment best left for the weekend and Real Betis.

In the two interior roles, I would have loved to have seen Rafinha Alcantara back in action, but his continued absence alongside Andres Iniesta on the treatment table instead presents an opportunity either for Ivan Rakitic, in what could easily flex to a 4-2-3-1, or for Denis Suarez who has impressed at times this season. Arda Turan is the obvious replacement for Iniesta in the other interior role, and it’s nice to see the Turkish international get the minutes that his form deserves.

In attack, I will continue to predict a start for Paco Alcacer until I’m correct – so Alcacer, Lionel Messi and Neymar is my predicted frontline, even though I know full well than the MSN will start and rotate out in the second half.

REAL SOCIEDAD

The only new injury concern for Eusebio to contend with concerns his final substitution from last week’s defeat; David Concha is nursing a muscle problem and will not make the trip down to Catalunya tomorrow. On the plus side, Eusebio does welcome back Mikel Gonzalez, who will challenge Raul Navas for the final central defensive starting place.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: LDWWWW

Real Sociedad: WLDWLW

LAST MEETING

Real Sociedad 0-1 FC Barcelona – 19th January 2017 – Copa del Rey

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Cillessen; Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Digne; Gomes, Rakitic, Turan; Messi, Alcacer, Neymar

Real Sociedad (4-3-3): Rulli; Elustondo, Inigo, Navas, Yuri; Illarra, Zurutuza, Prieto; Mikel, Willian, Vela

MATCH PREDICTION

Some streaks are meant to end. This one however is not. 3-1 to the hosts.



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Copa del Rey: FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: Team News, Match Preview

Can the Blaugrana book their place in the semi-finals?

Following an impressive 1-0 win at the Anoeta last week, FC Barcelona have one foot in the semi-finals of the 2016-17 Copa del Rey, and they will be hoping to finish the job tomorrow evening when they welcome Real Sociedad to the Camp Nou for the return leg. With Atletico Madrid and Alaves currently confirmed in the final four at the time of writing, Barcelona could face a relatively easy or comparatively tough route to the final, but of course they must first take care of the task at hand.

It is true that Real Sociedad have not won at the Camp Nou in their last 21 visits over the past 25 years, but just as we broke our Anoeta jinx last week, Luis Enrique will be preaching the importance of focus and the dangers of complacency to his squad. Even with an aggregate lead to their advantage, and an away goal in their name, Barça will likely need another goal tomorrow to put this tie to bed, and that's at a minimum.

Eusebio Sacristan refuses to give up hope that his side can engineer a comeback, and we know that his players are not the type to give up easily. Some of their squad still feel aggrieved about the officiating in the defeat, so they have a chip on their shoulders and will be eager to prove that last week's loss was a one-off. The Blaugrana on the other hand have multiple issues on their mind. Not only does the Copa del Rey require a certain level of concentration and effort, but the quest to bridge the gap at the top of La Liga also requires the squad to be at the top of their game from here on in. Playing late on Thursday is far from ideal, and the idea of rotations is sure to be on Enrique's mind.

For instance, does the birthday boy, Luis Suarez sit out his first game of 2017, and if he does, how does this impact our chances of ending this tie early? Contrary to popular belief, the job of a top class football manager is far from simple and no doubt that whatever his decision, there will be some Culés who will criticise Enrique irrespective of his decision at game time tomorrow.

As his side shows signs of returning to their dominant best, does Enrique stick with the “Gala XI” and attempt to maintain that momentum, or does his rotate and keep the whole squad engaged? We’ll soon find out.

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

The good news is that FC Barcelona can welcome Javier Mascherano back from suspension; the Argentine is expected to slot straight back into the starting line-up alongside Gerard Pique, who was rested for the weekend’s win over Eibar at the Ipurua. There is a chance that Aleix Vidal could also rotate back into the line-up after his cameo appearance on Sunday, but I would suspect that the substitution is more likely to indicate that Sergi Roberto will retain his usual spot at right-back. Meanwhile, Lucas Digne is likely to get the nod at left-back, as Enrique continues to promote the healthy competition brewing on the left-side of defense.

In midfield, the injury to Sergio Busquets may not be as bad as it first seemed, but it does leave the Blaugrana short of options at pivote. Javier Mascherano could move forward to play in the role he typically occupies for Argentina, but whether that is seen as an adequate replacement given the different style employed in Catalunya remains to be seen. I suspect that the pivote spot will instead be reserved in this instance for Andre Gomes. I’d love to see Sergio Roberto given a shot there, but that would perhaps be an experiment best left for the weekend and Real Betis.

In the two interior roles, I would have loved to have seen Rafinha Alcantara back in action, but his continued absence alongside Andres Iniesta on the treatment table instead presents an opportunity either for Ivan Rakitic, in what could easily flex to a 4-2-3-1, or for Denis Suarez who has impressed at times this season. Arda Turan is the obvious replacement for Iniesta in the other interior role, and it’s nice to see the Turkish international get the minutes that his form deserves.

In attack, I will continue to predict a start for Paco Alcacer until I’m correct – so Alcacer, Lionel Messi and Neymar is my predicted frontline, even though I know full well than the MSN will start and rotate out in the second half.

REAL SOCIEDAD

The only new injury concern for Eusebio to contend with concerns his final substitution from last week’s defeat; David Concha is nursing a muscle problem and will not make the trip down to Catalunya tomorrow. On the plus side, Eusebio does welcome back Mikel Gonzalez, who will challenge Raul Navas for the final central defensive starting place.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: LDWWWW

Real Sociedad: WLDWLW

LAST MEETING

Real Sociedad 0-1 FC Barcelona – 19th January 2017 – Copa del Rey

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Cillessen; Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Digne; Gomes, Rakitic, Turan; Messi, Alcacer, Neymar

Real Sociedad (4-3-3): Rulli; Elustondo, Inigo, Navas, Yuri; Illarra, Zurutuza, Prieto; Mikel, Willian, Vela

MATCH PREDICTION

Some streaks are meant to end. This one however is not. 3-1 to the hosts.



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