Champions League: FC Barcelona - APOEL Nicosia 1-0

KhaledBarca

New member
Still too good for Apoel. We have a game every 3 days now, Levante-Malaga away, Rakitic and Busquets need some rest. Plus, its the best time to see how Mascherano does as a DM also Xavi, Bartra & Adriano need to start getting some playing time.
 

barcanuck

New member
Still too good for Apoel. We have a game every 3 days now, Levante-Malaga away, Rakitic and Busquets need some rest. Plus, its the best time to see how Mascherano does as a DM also Xavi, Bartra & Adriano need to start getting some playing time.

Fully agreed, I just wouldn't start both Montoya and Adriano but it's a great lineup and it's a good time to rest Busi.
 

Icarium

Lifestealer
Possible line-up (vs APOEL): Bravo - Alves Pique Bartra Alba - Xavi Busquets Rafinha - Pedro Messi Neymar #fcblive [rac1]

Mats in for Bravo and this lineup is perfect unless lucho wants to use Mats for La Liga and Bravo for UCL and Copa. Anyway is fine for me.
 
I

instinct

Guest
Rac1 suggests this line-up

Bravo - Alves Pique Bartra Alba - Xavi Busquets Rafinha - Pedro Messi Neymar

Ter-Stegen pleaaaaase
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Well, if RAC1 gets it right then atleast Bartra, Xavi and Rafinha will get a start, but I wonder when Ter Stegen will get his chance. If it goes like this(Bravo for LL and CL) then I don't know what to say tbh.....

I don't see how playing Copa del Rey only(if Masip doesn't get the nod over him there lulz) is beneficial for a young keeper. I don't buy the "settling in a new country" argument. Man Utd and Atletico didn't wait for De Gea and Courtois to settle in England and Spain.

Even Oblak who is no better than Moya atm imo got his debut tonight.
 
Last edited:

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Well, if RAC1 gets it right then atleast Bartra, Xavi and Rafinha will get a start, but I wonder when Ter Stegen will get his chance. If it goes like this(Bravo for LL and CL) then I don't know what to say tbh.....

I don't see how playing Copa del Rey only(if Masip doesn't get the nod over him there lulz) is beneficial for a young keeper. I don't buy the "settling in a new country" argument. Man Utd and Atletico didn't wait for De Gea and Courtois to settle in England and Spain.

Even Oblak who is no better than Moya atm imo got his debut tonight.

Man Utd did rotate De Gea a lot in his first season. He struggled with the pressure.

Courtois is a bit different in that he had proved his mentality at the very highest level and may well be the best keeper in the world and speaks the language etc.
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Man Utd did rotate De Gea a lot in his first season. He struggled with the pressure.

Courtois is a bit different in that he had proved his mentality at the very highest level and may well be the best keeper in the world and speaks the language etc.

De Gea got plenty of games from the start and was dropped for a few games after some blunders, but then brought back in the team again in which he cemented his place after a string of impressive performances.

When Courtois arrived at Atletico, he was still just a 19/20 year old, very talented keeper who got plenty of chances from the start of his career there.

So yes, I don't get the argument of spending months to settle and I won't understand it if he is limited to CDR games, because that would be a waste and it would've been better to loan him out for a season or two instead.

It's still early days though so let's see.
 
Not starting Mats in this game would be absolutely ridiculous. I'd much rather have Mats start than Bartra tbh.
 
Last edited:

JamDav1982

Senior Member
De Gea got plenty of games from the start and was dropped for a few games after some blunders, but then brought back in the team again in which he cemented his place after a string of impressive performances.

When Courtois arrived at Atletico, he was still just a 19/20 year old, very talented keeper who got plenty of chances from the start of his career there.

So yes, I don't get the argument of spending months to settle and I won't understand it if he is limited to CDR games, because that would be a waste and it would've been better to loan him out for a season or two instead.

It's still early days though so let's see.

Fergie said from the moment he signed DeGea that he would be rotating him and if anything the blunders proved that he was not ready for the early games.

Bravo has done nothing wrong to be dropped and his is a level of performance you can rely on more than Mats at moment.

Mats will win the role eventually and should play tomorrow but a bit unfair to drop Bravo when done nothing wrong.

Edit: mean dropping Bravo for league games.
 

gatsu

New member
Apoel maybe a very modest team but they do have some european experience, obviously we will go against the never ending bus tactic, so don't expect a great spectacle.

Ter stegen
Alves, Bartra, Pique, Adriano
Mascherano
Pedro, Messi, Neymar

It'll be interesting to see how Lucho will manage tactically against the Bus
 
Last edited:

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
They're just guessing, like we do.

Yep, MD are speculating the opposite, that Lucho is considering to start him

BxsUXv6IcAEr6Op.jpg:large
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top