Barça goes for the first class ticket
The Blaugranas, already classified for the second round, will be leaders if they do not lose to the bottom team
BARCELONA, 12 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona is looking for the lead in Group H in the group stage of the Champions League this Wednesday in Belgium against Royal Antwerp, bottom of the table and eliminated, in a duel in which the Blaugranas are better off with a draw but, facing following games, the important thing is to win and regain the best possible playing sensations.
The homework is practically done. The main thing, which was to reach the round of 16 after two consecutive campaigns falling in the group stage, has already been achieved. And, the secondary thing, which is to do so as the leader and seed, is 1 point away at the bottom team's home.
To be first and have a home field advantage in the second leg of the round of 16, Barça must draw or win. And, in case of defeat, losing first place is complicated, since Shakhtar Donetsk would have to beat Porto and do so by a landslide to overcome the average of goals for/against, which is very favorable to the Blaugranas.
With that peace of mind of not having to look for anything more than consecration of the leadership, Barça knows that it has a lot to improve. The defeat at home against Girona FC, now the sole leader of LaLiga EA Sports, left more doubts in the team, with an “angry” dressing room according to Xavi and wanting to react. And they must begin to show it in the green of Bosuil.
The construction that Xavi talks about is, as he explained in the preview of this European clash, to continue moving towards a mandatory and possible improvement of the game, to leave behind the ups and downs and gaps shown in certain matches. Especially in terms of defensive forcefulness and offensive effectiveness.
In any case, in Belgium and against an Antwerp that only has its pride and honor at stake, being fourth and being eliminated no matter what happens, the Barça that takes to the field will be very different from that of the 'gala eleven' . Beyond the casualties, which there are, the coach will take advantage of the duel to rotate and give minutes to the players with less presence, and rest to those he sees with muscle fatigue and accumulation of minutes.
To the already known absences due to injury of Gavi, Marcos Alonso, Íñigo Martínez and Marc-André Ter Stegen, the absence, due to a technical decision, of Frenkie De Jong is added. And, barring any surprise, three players who were also going to stay in Barcelona will not play at the start, but who in the end traveled to be with the group when the club decided to spend two nights, and not one, on Belgian soil. These are Robert Lewandowski, Ronald Araujo and Ilkay Gündogan.
Furthermore, the Uruguayan defender is facing suspension (also the Portuguese winger João Félix) and it would be a risk to make him play thinking about the first leg of the round of 16. Whoever plays, it seems that the only easy bet is Iñaki Peña in goal, since the rest of the players can enter the rotation lottery depending on what Xavi sees in the previous session.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
ANTWERP: Butez; De Laet, Alderweireld, Coulibaly, Wijndal; Vermeeren, Keita, Balikwisha; Ejuke, Janssen y Kerk.
FC BARCELONA: Iñaki Peña; Sergi Roberto, Koundé, Christensen, Balde; Oriol Romeu, Pedri, Fermín López; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and João Félix.
–REFEREE: Marco Guida (ITA).
–ESTADIO: Tawny Owl.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League.