In order to avoid over-crowding the schedule of the Catalan giants, the Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP) have rescheduled Barca's next La Liga game.



This became necessary after the Blaugrana were earlier required to play both Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao within a space of 46 hours, both matches being away matches and implying Barca will not have any chance to regroup or to train at Camp Nou before playing the second match. The former schedule had the Copa del Rey match at El Madrigal between Villarreal and FC Barcelona scheduled for Thursday, January 24th at 22:00 hours local time while the Athletic Bilbao clash in San Mames was fixed for Saturday evening at 22:00 hours local time but has now been postponed to Sunday, January 27th at 19:00 hours local time.


FC Barcelona will return from the Villarreal clash on Friday, then leave for the La Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

For failing to honour his words and promises, Ezquerro will make Athletic's president walk the plank, if only he had his way.


The transfer windows have shut right in the face of FC Barcelona's player, Santi Ezquerro. The player is not happy with the final turn of events in the last few days leading to the end of the transfer season, as, after high hopes were in the media of his imminent move away from Barca, nothing eventually happened. Hopes were so high that at a point, Ezquerro himself demanded that Barca officials should speed up his transfer talks, after failing to get a free transfer. But all that has ended with a bitter Ezquerro absolving Barca of any blame in his failed transfer, crashing down heavily on the new president of Athletic:

Athletic's president disappointed me. There was an offer to return to Athletic on the table right up until the final transfer day and when I decided to accept on Friday afternoon, the president offered me different conditions to the ones we had agreed. I turned down some good offers, including one from Osasuna, to sign for Athletic, but I have been tricked. I had too much faith in his words, but wouldn't blame myself for that. I always felt that people of such high standing would keep to their words. I guess I have been proved wrong.

Athletic's new president, as understood, promised that he would sign Ezquerro if he won the election, but that never happened. The new president turned his back on the Barca player. Ezquerro, while reacting to the development, was disappointed and downcast as well as showing great displeasure in the ungentlemanly behaviour.


Ezquerro also revealed that the reportedly slippery Athletic president also leaked news of his signing to the press in a bid to win more votes, and the Barca player again, burst the bubble on Macua offering him money to state in the press that he would sign him as part of his election strategy. Ezquerro turned down the money.

If I had accepted the money, I would be playing for the president and not for Bilbao. I always have strong commitments to the clubs which I play for, so such inducements will not have helped me if I had accepted it and eventually signed for the club.

On what will be of his futre, Santi replied:

I will remain in Barca and continue to play here. In December, when the market opens again, I will look for a good solution then. I will try to do my best over the next few months, but I know that it is very difficult because of the strong competition here.

To be or not to be ? That is the question for Barcelona tonight.


Match Preview: Sunday 2/09/2007 19:00 (GMT +1), La Liga, Match Day 2

FC BARCELONA - ATHLETIC BILBAO
Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Capacity : 98,772
Referee:


Probable Line-up:


FC Barcelona (4-3-3) :Valdes, Zambrotta, Marquez, Milito, Abidal, Iniesta, Touré, Deco, Messi, Henry, Ronaldinho.

Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Athletic Bilbao (4-4-2) :Iraizoz, Amorebieta, Exposito, Murillo, Del Horno, J. Martinez, Tiko, David Lopez, Munoz, Cuellar, Aduri
Manager: Joaquin Caparros


Match Preview:

FC Barcelona will come out smoking and red-hot with rage after a disappointing end of the last Liga season seemed to have been carried over with a goalless draw against Racing Santander in the season's first match. The star-studded squad will be eager to change this notion, and the only opportunity the Blaugrana have to do this leaves Athletic Bilbao as their sparring partner. However, caution must be adopted as the boys from Bilbao won't want to sit and get thrashed without building high towers around their defence, a la Santander.


Bilbao will come out strongly at the beginning of the match, in a bid to show Barca they are no push overs, and to avoid conceding numerous goals in the early minutes. After the first ten minutes, Athletic are expected to recline toward their midfield and defence area, having seemingly contained Barca, if at all they will. Athletic Bilbao will launch occassional attacks afterwards.


Under new coach Joaquin Caparros Athletic have been unbeaten and several new signings have strengthened the squad. Athletic also began their league campaign with a 0-0 draw, at home to Osasuna, a simliar scoreline which Barca started with against Santander. Athletic will be without several key players going into this fixture. Joseba Etxeberria, Joseba Garmedia, Luis Prieto and Fran Yeste are all injured while Aitor Ocio will be suspended after his sending off against Osasuna. 18 year old Javi Martinez may be the young shoulder son which many repsonsibilites will be placed on today, as the former Osasuna player is showing lots of great potential.


My Prediction:
The impressive record of the new coach may not be sufficient to see them come out clean in Camp Nou today. Not only will the anger from the Santander match be a motivating factor for Barca, the unconditional demand for a win from Barca fans will be too much pressure for Athletic to stand. I forsee


FC Barcelona - Athletic Bilbao 5-0