Game Thread: Barcelona - Almeria

CelticKing · Oct 24, 2008

Game Thread: Barcelona - Almeria

VS

Barcelona (4th, 16pts) v Almeria (6th, 11pts)
When: 22:00 CET - Saturday, October 25, 2008
Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Pep Guardiola has claimed that Barcelona can win every game this season if they maintain their current form and his opposite number this weekend, Gonzala Arconada, agreed.

Confidence is high at Camp Nou after a run of nine consecutive victories has seen them prove that they can overwhelm some opponents and battle for points against others.

The victory against Basel in the Champions League in midweek was the third time in just over a month that Barça have netted five goals in a game, but that should be no surprise.

After a goal-laden pre-season run, the official campaign began with defeat at Numancia and a draw at home to Racing to leave the media drooling at the prospect of a mini-crisis at the club.

That is now a distant memory though and the talk is about which is Guardiola's best side and what players he will leave out or include in each line-up that he names.

Victories always see confidence rise, but the turnaround at Barça has been rapid under a trainer that many had their doubts about when he was announced as Frank Rijkaard's successor at the end of last season.

Some pundits and fans felt that Guardiola lacked the experience to lead the revival at the Catalan club, but president Joan Laporta had been insistent that the former midfield playmaker could hold his own.

Attention To Detail

More than hold his own, the new incumbent of the hot seat has won praise from all his players for his attention to detail and ability to rest players without any being upset or resenting their role on the bench.

Sporting de Gijón conceded six as Barça ran amok in El Molinón, while Atlético de Madrid were also emphatically beaten by the same margin at Barça and other teams will no doubt suffer a similar fate this term.

Almer�*a caused a stir last term by not only defying the critics that said that they would go straight back down after winning promotion the year before, but made a push for a Europe place.

Unai Emery masterminded the club's rise to the big time and he was rewarded by being allowed to speak to Valencia, a job he felt was too good to turn down this summer.

Arconada, the brother of Spain's famous goalkeeper of the 1980's Luis, was approached after impressing during his time in charge at Numancia, who he helped to return to la Primera last term.

Almer�*a have made another impressive start and do not look likely to suffer from second-season syndrome that afflicts a lot of promoted clubs that stay up in their first campaign.

Instead, the Andalucian outfit are just outside the top group and lie in sixth place in the table on eleven points after recording three wins, two draws and two defeats in their opening seven matches.

RECENT FORM

Barcelona

22/10 A 5-0 Basel
19/10 A 1-0 Athletic Club
04/10 H 6-1 Atlético
01/10 A 2-1 Shakhtar
27/09 A 2-1 Espanyol
24/09 H 3-2 Real Betis

Almer�*a

19/10 H 0-0 Sevilla
05/10 A 2-2 Getafe
28/09 H 1-0 Recreativo
25/09 A 0-2 Valladolid
21/09 H 1-0 Málaga
14/09 H 2-2 Valencia

TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Eidur Gudjohnsen and Pedro trained away from the squad on Friday afternoon, but could be in line for a recall to the squad for Saturday's game. Guardiola will not name his final squad until after training on the day of the encounter.

Squad: TBA

Almer�*a

TBA
Click to expand...

Claud · Oct 24, 2008

Barca 3-1

CelticKing · Oct 24, 2008

Barcelona 2 - 0 Almeria

Messi and Bojan with the goals

Colonel Ronan · Oct 27, 2008

8-0

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Game Thread: Barcelona - Almeria

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Game Thread: Barcelona - Almeria

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