Huesca vs Barça: LIVE BLOG!

Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!

WELCOME TO THE ESTADIO EL ALCORAZ!!! The cozy home of SD Huesca is the site of an important La Liga match between the hosts and Barcelona, who come into this one needing a win to stay in the fight for a Top 4 spot and looking to make it six wins without a loss in the league. Huesca have not been very good this season and are bottom of the league, but they’ll definitely try and make it tough for the Blaugrana. This should be a good one, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. LET’S LIVE BLOG!!!

(Note: the comments will be open only when the team news come out, because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section)

---

MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 17

Date/Time: Sunday, January 3, 2021, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Monday)

Venue: Estadio El Alcoraz, Huesca, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández

VAR: José Luis González González

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

---

Matchday Thread Rules

We don’t have a lot of rules here, but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads:

Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game, no swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another.

Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3b3saWV

Read More

FC Barcelona News: 3 January 2021

Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images

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

PREVIEW: Huesca v Barça - FC Barcelona
The home club, which plays in a very similar blaugrana strip to Barça’s and includes a number of players who spent part of their youth at La Masia, has only won one game so far this season, and they are currently rock-bottom of the Liga table.

Messi returns for trip to Huesca - FC Barcelona
Ronald Koeman has announced his squad of 22 for the first game of 2021, away to Huesca, and the big news is the return of Leo Messi, who was carrying a minor injury.

The lowdown on SD Huesca - FC Barcelona
Barça start the year with a trip to Huesca (Sunday 3 January at 9.00pm CET), a team they have met very few times in the past. The Aragonese club may require some introduction, so here’s the lowdown…

When and where to watch Huesca v Barça - FC Barcelona
Barça kick off the new year with a LaLiga game against SD Huesca on Sunday at 9pm CET, and our guide should help you to work out what time that will be where you are.

Coutinho undergoes surgery - FC Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho has undergone a successful operation on the external meniscus of his left knee this Saturday morning of January 2, but the verdict is that he will be out of action for approximately three months.

Joan Laporta favourite in Barcelona presidential elections - Football Espana
The poll revealed that 52.3% of people intend to vote for the former president, whose previous spell at the club ran from 2003 to 2010. Victor Font came second, 40 points behind. 17.2% of people said they’re undecided.

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3ogbKP2

Read More

Barça squad named for Huesca

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Ronald Koeman has called up 22 players for Sunday’s match

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana hit the road for their first game of 2021 away to Huesca, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 22 players for Sunday’s clash:

---

Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña

Defenders: 2. Sergiño Dest, 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 24. Junior Firpo, 28. Óscar Mingueza

Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Carles Aleñá, 8. Miralem Pjanic, 12. Riqui Puig, 16. Pedri, 19. Matheus Fernandes, 21. Frenkie De Jong

Forwards: 7. Antoine Griezmann, 9. Martin Braithwaite, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão, 29. Konrad De La Fuente

---

The bad news don’t stop for Barcelona as another player is down for a significant period of time with Philippe Coutinho set for a three-month layoff following surgery on a torn meniscus. Coutinho joins Ansu Fati (knee), Gerard Piqué (knee) and Sergi Roberto (thigh) in the injury report while Samuel Umtiti misses out through illness (not Covid), but there are good news for this game as Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba return after missing the previous match against Eibar.

Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Ter Stegen; Dest, Araujo, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, De Jong; Dembélé, Messi, Pedri; Braithwaite

---

The match kicks off at 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Monday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3hJI9uH

Read More

Huesca vs Barça: Preview

Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Barça kick off 2021 looking for a big win against the worst team in the league to start a busy January on the right foot

SD Huesca (20th, 12pts) vs FC Barcelona (6th, 25pts)*

---

*Points and positions at the time of writing on Saturday

Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 17

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Ansu Fati, Gerard Piqué, Sergi Roberto, Philippe Coutinho (out)

Huesca Outs & Doubts: Pablo Maffeo, Sandro Ramírez, Antonio Valera, Borja García (out)

Date/Time: Sunday, January 3, 2021, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Monday)

Venue: Estadio El Alcoraz, Huesca, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández

VAR: José Luis González González

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

---

Following a very disappointing draw at home against Eibar, Barcelona hit the road and play their first game of 2021 against another relegation candidate, Huesca, at the El Alcoraz Stadium.

Huesca are not only a relegation candidate but are the worst team in the league this season, with just one win, the worst defense and the second worst attack, and they don’t seem to have enough firepower to escape the second division next season.

On paper this should be a very easy win for Barça, the time of game that the Blaugrana would dominate and win 6-2 under Pep Guardiola or Luis Enrique, but those days are long gone. This is Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona, a team with no real identity and consistent of play, and a team capable of wasting chances and points against the worst teams in the league.

2021 should be a better year than 2020 for the world in general, but things don’t look good for Barça right now. Even a win against Huesca seems in doubt, and the title looks more and more distant as the team continues to drop unnecessary points. January is filled with big games in three domestic competitions, and they will test Barça’s depth and ability to beat the best teams.

If they can’t beat the worst ones, this will be a long month. Gotta dominate Huesca. Anything other than a big win is unacceptable.

Let’s dance?

---

POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Dest, Araujo, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, De Jong; Dembélé, Messi, Pedri; Braithwaite

Huesca (4-2-3-1): Fernández; López, Puldo, Siovas, Gaitán; Mosquera, Rico; Ferreiro, Seoane, Ontiveros; Okazaki

---

PREDICTION

This shouldn’t be tough but it will be because Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona! 2-1 to the visitors.

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3pJO6ui

Read More

Koeman talks Messi, Griezmann and title hopes

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

The latest from the Barcelona boss

Ronald Koeman held his first press conference of 2021 on Saturday as he looked ahead to Barcelona’s first match of the new year at Huesca.

The Barca boss offered an update on Lionel Messi’s fitness after ankle trouble, spoke about potentials ins and outs in January and also about his team’s fading titles hopes.

Here are the best bits:

Koeman on Huesca

We know every single game is tough. The league is really equal but there are some teams that are suffering, like Huesca. They have not let in many goals at home and I think we have to be prepared for a tough game. We have to improve in many aspects of the game.

Koeman on Messi fitness

Leo is fine. He was training on the 30th and 31st when the rest of the squad was resting so there are no doubts for him. He doesn’t have any discomfort. He is ready, happy and motivated and that’s important for us.

Koeman on Messi future

You have to see his situation. He has said he doesn’t want to make a decision yet so we have to respect him. Any player who ends his contract is free to decide. He is a player who will always demonstrate that he wants the best for the team. It is not a problem that he has not said yet what he wants to do. We don’t have to be worried. We must respect his decision.

Koeman on title hopes

There are many games, many away from home. I am realistic and we are 11 points off the top. You cannot lose many more points. We are not in the position to say that we have many possibilities to win. We cannot lose another game if we want to fight for the championship

Koeman on January buys

If no-one comes it will be because of the club and the money. The only thing I’ve done with Ramon Planes is prepare for the future. We talk about young people and positions that must improve their quality. We have a plan But it is the new president who has to decide

Koeman on January sales

I don’t want to give names but I think some players need to play more games. Of course we want the best for our players. It’s true that some players won’t have many minutes here.

Koeman on Coutinho

It’s bad luck. We have several players with injuries who will be out for quite some time. For me Philippe has always been important, now he has to recover. It is a significant loss. We have to see how we can solve his loss.

Koeman on regretting Suarez exit?

No. I have always highlighted his qualities, it was a decision on his part and the club. His destiny ended up different. You can’t compare us with Atletico. I think there are other ways to win games. Sometimes, because of the way they play, it is enough to score one goal to win the games. It’s different for us.

Koeman on Barca being dependent on Messi

A little yes, but like many years ago. His game and his importance have been very great in the club. When the team did not play well, Leo was there to solve the game. That is why he is the best in the world.

Koeman on Griezmann

The issue is not just Antoine. There are many players in our forward line who need to be more effective. We need more goals from midfielders and to be more effective from set pieces. We have to improve in every way. We are the team that has created the most chances, a minimum of six per game. We have to believe.

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/354KqeN

Read More

Umtiti misses Barcelona’s trip to Huesca

Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The defender has been ruled out

Samuel Umtiti is set to miss Barcelona’s trip to Huesca on Sunday after coming down with a stomach illness.

Barcelona confirmed the news on Saturday after the team’s final training session before the trip to the Basque country.

Umtiti is back to full fitness after knee trouble but has only made three substitute appearances so far this season under Ronald Koeman.

PLAYER UPDATE | @samumtiti has a stomach illness and is out for #HuescaBarça pic.twitter.com/fsFV0ciV0p

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 2, 2021

The Frenchman looked unlikely to start against Huesca but his absence does leave Barca a little short on center-backs with Gerard Pique also absent.

Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, and Clement Lenglet are available and could all start the match again if Koeman sticks with his 3-5-2 formation.

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rIa0jH

Read More

Coutinho out for three months after knee surgery

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

The Brazilian went under the knife on Saturday

Barcelona announced Saturday that Philippe Coutinho will miss “approximately three months” after undergoing knee surgery.

The Brazil international went under the knife after picking up the problem last time out in Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Eibar at the Camp Nou.

Coutinho has now had surgery to fix the problem and will spend a chunk of the season on the sidelines.

MEDICAL UPDATE | @Phil_Coutinho has been successfully operated on for the injury to his left meniscus. He will be out for approximately three months. pic.twitter.com/9feWtDghIJ

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 2, 2021

It’s a blow for Coutinho who returned to the club from a loan spell with Bayern in the summer and started the season pretty brightly.

An injury picked up in the Clasico disrupted his season and he’s been in and out of the team since then but now faces more frustration at the Camp Nou.

Let’s hope he makes a speedy recovery.

from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts https://ift.tt/3n6CvUB

Read More