Match Preview: Wednesday 08/11/2006 22:00 (GMT +2): Copa del Rey, Round Last-32, Second Leg (Barca TV)

FC BARCELONA - CF BADALONA (2:1, first leg)
Camp Nou, Barcelona – Capacity: 99.000

Referee: Valencian Ayza Gómez


Probable Line-Up:

FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Joquera - Belletti (Zambrotta), Thuram, Oleguer, Sylvinho - Iniesta, Motta, Crosas - Giuly, Saviola, Ezquerro - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


CF Badalona (4-4-2): Ralano - Oscar Ramirez, Cazorta, Macanas, David Sanchez - Pons, Prats, Casado, Blanco - Monty, Encinas - Manager: Francisco Lopez Alfaro


Match Preview:
FC Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard will use the Copa del Rey clash against minor neighbour CF Badalona as a serious test, even he is going to rest 7 of his stars. Segunda B team Badalona is coming to Camp Nou hoping to surprise the "Big Barca" wanting to get away with a good result.

Third League team Badalona should therefore be a perfect sparrings partner to boost the confidence before the difficult match against Real Zaragoza the upcoming weekend.


In the first leg, Badalona showed a courageous performance but was beaten by 2 goals from Eidur Gudjohnsen before they scored their only goal with a late penalty in injury time. Scoring at least 2 goals at Camp Nou will make a progress to the next round a hard task for the underdogs and realistically Barca will have few fears of being eliminated from the competition. But Frank Rijkaard wants his team to impress and is out to see a convincing win over the minors, so the confidence boost will make the team only stronger.


Rijkaard has called up 12 regulars and 4 youngsters but rests 7 stars for the encounter against Badalona tonight.
Winger Jeffren Suárez, Marc Valiente, Marc Crosas and Víctor Vázquez are the 4 youngsters promoted by Rijkaard from the Barca B team.


Barca´s regular players that will be rested are: Deco, Ronaldinho, Carles Puyol, Leo Messi, Gianluca Zambrotta, Edmílson and Rafael Márquez.


Gudjohnsen and Xavi are still out. Barca captain Puyol has not been included after the death of his father at the weekend, but the team captain has returned to training. Despite Puyol wanting to train and play, Rijkaard feels that under current circumstances the captain needs more time to come over the sudden loss of the father.


My Prediction:

Barca goes into the second leg already with a 2-1 advantage. The match is played at home and therefore should not produce any surprises. To most Barca fans the Copa del Rey begins in the latter stages of the competion, when the big guns appear on the stage.


Nobody will expect a loss against Badalona. The team will be focused to show a good performance and not give the media any more chances to critizise the way they play.


It should be an easy win and no doubt we progress to the next round of the last 16.


FC Barcelona - CF Badalona 3:0


Visca el Barca!