Match Preview: Tuesday 16/01/2007 21:00 (GMT +1): Copa del Rey, Round Last-16, Second Leg

FC BARCELONA - DEPROTIVO ALAVES
Camp Nou, Barcelona – Capacity: 99.000

Referee:


Probable Line-Up:

Alaves (4-4-2): Ardouin - Uranga, Gaspar, Pablo Casa, Angel - Carpintera, Lucen, Gabri, Arthuro - De Lucas, Aloisi - Manager: Fabri


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Joquera - Zambrotta, Marquez, Puyol (Oleguer), Sylvinho - Motta, Deco, Xavi - Saviola, Ronaldinho, Ezquerro - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Preview:
This second leg of the Copa Del Rey round of last-16 between FC Barcelona and Deportivo Alaves should just be a formality. Barca won the first leg easily away 2:0 and Javier Saviola was the star of the evening by scoring both goals.

Something similar, we should expect tonight. Frank rijkaard will ahve the chance to experiement and give some players a run out that have that have come back from injury (Oleguer, Zambrotta, Deco).
The match should be nothing more than a training match under competitive conditions what could be a brilliant chance to gain back some confidence.


Top striker samuel Eto´o is back in training but he will not be able to play his first match before February. Thuram and Messi are still sidelined and Iniesta has been added to the injury list with a sprain in his ankle.

So, we will see some changes in the squad but we will not know until the the kick-off to what extend Barca coach Rijkaard will use the match for experiements and shuffle around the squad members.


My Prediction:
This match can only be considered as a warm up for next weekends Catalan derby against Nastic Tarragona. This should be an easy cruise into the quarter finals and anything else would be a total unexpected surprise and upset. But we do not believe in wonders, therefore:


FC BARCELONA - ALAVES 3:0



Visca el Barca!

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

FC BARCELONA - CF BADALONA 4:0 (2:0)
Camp Nou, Barcelona – Attendance: 13.000

Referee: Valencian Ayza Gómez


Goals:
1-0 Van Bronckhorst (23´)

2-0 Ezquerro (39´)
3-0 Saviola (78´)

4-0 Saviola (82´)


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Joquera - Belletti (Valiente 46´), Thuram, Oleguer, Sylvinho - Iniesta (Crosas 76´), Motta, Gio - Giuly, Saviola (Jeffren 83´), Ezquerro - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


CF Badalona (4-4-2): Relano - Oscar Ramirez, Camara, Macanas, David Sanchez - Pons, Recio (Isaias 54´), Casado (Cazorta 58´), Blanco - Monty (Prats 54´), Tarradellas - Manager: Francisco Lopez Alfaro


Match Report:
FC Barcelona eased through to the next round with a comfortable 4-0 win over Segunda B neighbour CF Badalona (6-1 on aggregate) at Camp Nou.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst (23´), Santiago Ezquerro (39´) and Javier Saviola (78´ & 82´) scored the goals for Barca.


as predicted FC Barcelona had no problems to progress to the next stage of the Spanish Cup. Badalona had nothing to lose but everything to win. 4 goals scored, none received means a job well done. Badalona played well over the 2 legs and can be proud of the performance showed in the two matches played, but yesterday the underdogs where withoiut a chance in Camp Nou.


Reserve players Marc Valiente, Marc Crosas and Jeffren Suarez made their first team debuts in the Spanish Cup.


The match started slow and after 15 minutes it was minors Badalona who had the first chance through Blanco following a good move over the left side. Andrés Iniesta, in a play maker role and Thiago Motta connected well in midfield, who were partnered by Gio on an unusual midfield position for the Dutch defender. And it was Gio who opend the scoring for Barca after 23 minutes. Santi Ezquerro passed the ball to Belletti who left the ball for Gio to shot the ball past Relaño into the goal.


Santi Ezquerro was the next who got hios name on the score sheet after a great team effort. Just 6 minutes before the break, Thuram came over the left and played the ball on Sylvinho´s chest, who brought the ball down for Gio whose superb and direct cross found Ezquerro´s head at the far post.


Backed by a secure 2-0 lead Barca coach Frank Rijkaard granted Marc Valiente (for Belletti) his first team debut. Youngster moved into the central defence along side veteran Thuram and Oleguer took the right back position now.


The second half showed some good football from Barc and Badalona struggled to keep up with the pace and pressure. At this stage, Santi Ezquerro was the most active player but but the Barca supporters had to wait until the last 15 minutes for the rewards of all the efforts. May be highlight to mention was a possible penalty on Saviola that was not given by the referee.


Promising midfield talent Marc Crosas (for Iniesta) made also his debut at Camp Nou and one of his first touches of the ball led to Saviola first goal on the evening in the 78th minute.


Marc Crosas played a very good match and was highly involved in Saviola´s second goal. Crosas clever pass found Oleguer through. Badalona goalkeeper Relano came off the line but Oleguer passed the ball back to saviola who had no trouble to finish into an empty goal.


Saviola, who got a knock on his ankle was then replaced by young Jeffren Suarez, another talent from Barca´s youth development.


My Comment:
As predicted, Badalona was the perfect sparrings partner for the next weekend match against Real Zaragoza. 4-0 is a convincing result and there were no troubles in progressing to the next round of the last 16 teams.

3 promissing youngsters got their run out and Crosas showed an exceleent performance in the last 15 minutes of the game.


I am sure, Rijkaard will be happy with the team performance, even the match started slowly and Barca again needed a wake up call first.


A job well done and now we should move on and get focussed on the next La Liga match.