Match Preview: Saturday 30/09/2006 22:00 (GMT +2): Primera Liga, Match Day 5
ATLETIC BILBAO - FC BARCELONA

San Mamés, Bilbao – Capacity: 42.000
Referee: Fernández Borbalán


Probable Barca Line-Up:


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdés - Zambrotta, Marquez, Puyol, gio - Edmilson, Xavi, Deco - Giuly (Messi), Gudjohnsen (Saviola), Ronaldinho - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Preview:

Tonight FC Barcelona will be the first time in this season without top scorer Samuel Eto'o against Atletic Bilbao. The team is out to win for Samuel.


Today is Barca coach Frank Rijkaard´s 44th birthday and the team does not intend to let him down on that special day. Ronaldinho appears in his 100th match for FC Barcelona.


Barça want to take all three points from Sam Mames tonight to defend their top spot in La Liga. This time Oleguer, Silvinho and Ezquerro are rested, consequently Marquez, Saviola and Gio are back in the team. Interesting to know, who will replace Eto'o upfront. Gudjohnsen, Messi or even Saviola.


Here is the Barca squad that has been called up against Atletic and travelled to Bilbao:
Valdés, Jorquera, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Edmílson, Belletti, Puyol, Gudjohnsen, Márquez, Xavi, Giuly, Gio, Saviola, Thuram, Messi, Zambrotta, Deco and Motta.


Atletic has not won so far in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao is a club with a big history, but last year's season saw them nearly relegated. The start to the new season has seen little change. Bilbao is going through some rough times at the moment but made the headlines this week by appointing Ana Urquijo as the first female president in the Club´s 108 years old history.


Bilbao coach Felix Sarriugarte will be without Aduriz, Amorebieta and Murillo. Striker Aritz Aduriz and defender Ander Murillo are to miss out after being sent off in the defeat against Getafe last weekend. Fernando Amorebieta is injured.

Strikers, veteran Ismael Urzaiz and youngster Fernando Llorente, will be the two options to replace Aduriz as the main striker up front.


Bilbao called up the following squad for the match against FC Barcelona: Lafuente, Aranzubia, Expósito, Casas, Ustaritz, Sarriegi, Tiko, Garmendia, Llorente, Yeste, Gabilondo, Prieto, Iraola, Orbaiz, Etxeberria, Murillo, Urzaiz, Dañobeitia, Iturriaga, Javi Martínez


Since Frank Rijkaard took control of FC Barcelona, the results are level. 1 victory (0-1 in 2003/04), 1 draw (1-1 in 2004/05) and 1 defeat (3-1 in 2005/06).


My Prediction:
Athletic have nothing to lose against the Spanish and European champions. Barca is top of the League and with two points from the opening 4 games Bilbao is in the relegation zone.

However, the San Mamés has always been a difficult place to go for any team.
If the Barcateam prevens an early surprise and get early into the game, there should be only one winner at the end: FC Barcelona!


Barca have just one cause for concern, about who will replace top striker Samuel Eto'o up front. € 12 Mill. summer signing Eidur Gudjohnsen is the obvious choice. Other options are Leo Messi, Ronaldinho (then with Messi on the left) or even "unwanted" Javier Saviola.

Whoever will play for Samuel Eto'o, will be expected to produce the goals, like Henrik Larsson did, when Eto'o was at the African Cup of Nations. The form and goal scoring ability will effect how much we are going to miss our top striker, but we should not start to panic too much, if it does not happen tonight. Barca have managed long periods without several important star players in the last 2 seasons. The squad has a lot of quality players and we have known before that the season will be long and anything can happen. Barca has got a real team and is not based on the qualities of one player.


I could imagine Gudjohnsen to start and then hope he will score. I expect, the team have to battle for the victory.
Athletic Bilbao - FC Barcelona 0:1



Visca el Barca!