Match Preview: Sunday 17/06/2007 21:00 (GMT +1): La Liga, Match Day 38
Gimnastic de Tarragona-FC BARCELONA

Nou Estadi, Tarragona



FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes - Zambrotta, Puyol, Thuram, Gio van Bronckhorst - Xavi, Deco, Iniesta - Messi, Eto'o, Ronaldinho

Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Gimnastic de Tarragona (4-4-2):Ruben Perez - Calvo, Navas, Matellan, Marco Ortega - Campano, Generolo, Morales, Pinilla - Irurzun, Portillo
Manager: Paco Flores


Match Preview:

FC Barcelona (2nd/73 points) meets Gimnastic de Tarragona (20th/28 points)


Match Preview:
Barcelona are ready for the long awaited duel with Gimnastic de Tarragona. The Catalans are poised for the final encounter where anything can happen. It has happened before and Barca have won the title in the last day. It has happened not once, not twice and the present squad are hoping for a first time experience of final day victory.

But all does not depend on that, as in the home of arch-rivals Real Madrid, a draw or a loss by the home team is needed as another pre-requisite for a Barca La Liga victory.


Barcelona have been Champions for the past two seasons while Nastic are at the bottom of the table and have secured a firm place in the Second Divison, the Segunda. However, in football, care and caution need to be applied no matter the circumstance, and Barca are not only aware of this, but also aware of what lies ahead of them, which is the total accomplishment of an outright win in todays clash.
Barca Coach, Frank Rijkaard speaks on the match:

Any game can spring up surprises. Anything can happen. We have one more game left and we have to hope.
It is not a question of miracles, but on the possibilities that are on ground. For Nastic, it’s an important game for the fans and we must prepare ourselves in the best possible way.

Rijkaard also praises his opposite, Nastic's Paco Flores:

I have a lot of respect for him and we get on well.

Paco Flores speaks on the match:

We will try to do the best we can in the best possible way to make it difficult for our opponents. The best motivation for a coach is to have the chance to beat a team such as Barça.

On Rijkaard, Flores says:

He’s an extraordinary coach who is clearly an exemplary role model with regards being correct and educated.

Barcelona will be focused on the cracker taking place in Nou Estadia, and also mindful of the advantage that will provide itself if Real Madrid should slip against Mallorca.

The Blaugrana are expected to start with their full squad, having their returnee midfielder dynamo, Ronaldinho back in action after the one-match suspension he served against Espanyol. Ronnie will be looking to make amends for his absence in the home draw last weekend, and will combine well with the likes Xavi, Iniesta and Deco to unleash mayhem on the Nastic players by cordinating play and linking with their top pointman, Samuel Eto'o and giving Lionel Messi the needed break to thump in goals into the Tarragona net.
Javier Saviola is also back in the team.

Valdes will ensure no goal crosses the Catalan white line and will assist Skipper Carles Puyol in organising the defence with Zambrotta and Thuram to ensure it remains water tight from the blast of the whistle to the end. After late goals being conceded in previous encounters, the Blaugrana defence are resilent on letting in any more goals at any period in the match, and not just only in the last minutes of the encounter.
Three players, Gudjohnsen, Silvinho and Edmilson are out of the squad due to injury.

Barcelona are widely expected to shake off the Nastic challenge and register as many as three goals or more in the heated battle. Perhaps a replica of the 6-0 thrashing of Madrid team, Atletico a few weeks back is not ruled, going by the extent of immense pressure on the La Liga kings and defending Champions to hold on to their crown.


Barca however need to be watchful of ex-Real Madrid player, Portillo who is the key man in Nastic's goal scoring formula. When not carefully monitored, Portillo could cause great harm to opponents.
The match is set to be one of the most entertaining of the entire season as tickets have already been sold out well in advance, with fans travelling en masse with the Balugrana to cheer the Champions to a remarkable triple title win tonight.


My Prediction:

Nastic will put up a great fight especially in the opening moments of the encounter. Their early charge will be neutralized by the quick response and superior play of Barcelona who will be more eager to register an early goal in order to allow them settle down psycologically and seal off the match with more re-assuring goals.
There shall be occassional close moments for Barcelona but Valdes will prevent any goals as he will be 200% alert along with the entire defence line.

In the second half, Nastic shall still come out to prove they can score against Barca and this will open up their defence to more goals. Nastic will cool off toward the end of the encounter and Barca shall come close to scoring on several occassions.
Barcelona shall prove too strong and very difficult visitors for their Nastic hosts.


In the end I forsee:

Gimnastic de Tarragona-FC Barcelona 0-4(0-2)
and in Madrid I forsee a brave Mallorca showing spurred by the will to maintain a spoiler reputation for Madrid.

Real Madrid-Real Mallorca 2-2(1-0)


Let the fun begin!