Copa | Quarterfinal: FC Barcelona - Espanyol 2-1 agg.

Once again, so black and white. For your average Joe in UK, PL will always be more important. Remember how Ranieri was sacked, although doing great in CL and eliminating Sevilla, but they were struggling in PL. For majority of clubs and fans in PL, it will always be the most important trophy.
Its different case with the top clubs, as they would rather compare themselves vs other elite in Europe, rather then themselves. I believe for fans of Juve, Barca, RM, Bayern, CL will also be the most important trophy, just because they have won local league so much (well not that much lately for RM). But for other (even top clubs), local league and perhaps overtopping the likes of Barca will be more important.

For me it's very hard to pick between the CL and La Liga because they are so very different.

So, if we're to ask different questions, all of those which would have an impact on what is the most important trophy each season, you get different answers.

Hardest to win? CL

Most dependant on luck and factors you can't control? CL

Most fair and the one that rewards day in day out professionalism and dedication over the whole season? La Liga

The one that covers most of the season and the one which the other depends on? La Liga

The one that most people would choose if asked to keep only one between the two? La Liga

More special? CL

Most popular? CL

Most physically challenging? La Liga

serghei said:

For me it's very hard to pick between the CL and La Liga because they are so very different.

So, if we're to ask different questions, all of those which would have an impact on what is the most important trophy each season, you get different answers.

Hardest to win? CL

Most dependant on luck and factors you can't control? CL

Most fair and the one that rewards day in day out professionalism and dedication over the whole season? La Liga

The one that covers most of the season and the one which the other depends on? La Liga

The one that most people would choose if asked to keep only one between the two? La Liga

More special? CL

Most popular? CL

Most physically challenging? La Liga

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Great post.

When Barca starts the likes of Vidal, D. Suarez, Alena and Digne in the same game, they are beatable by quite a few teams. The team is pretty thin right now, with all the injuries, so the next few weeks might not go very well. I'm glad to see rotations, especially in Copa. Can't burn out the stars before they are really needed. Feb through the end of the season the regulars will be playing a whole bunch.

This is not only a cup tie but derbi barceloní btw. I do not want to see our team crash out against Espanyol. Could be Mickey Mouse Cup, they have no business throwing us out from anywhere.
And I consider Copa important anyway. It is a possibility to rotate but should not be squandered when you get to the serious stages.

Asspanyol needs to be kicked out... they have no means to claim Barça's Cup

"The first session of the week was a recovery one for the players who started against Betis at the Ciutat Esportiva. Andrés Iniesta and Javier Mascherano also trained alongside their team mates on Monday," Barcelona added.

"The coaching staff also included Aleñá, Kaptoum, Dani Morer, Samu Araujo and Hongla in the session from Gerard López's B squad as well as Iñaki Peña from the U19 squad."

Gnidrologist said:

Yes, it make, because history will remember Chelesea outpowering other competitors in the international tournament. This is the shit that people remember. No one gives a shit in which year Barca or Real won laliga, because it's a given that most of the times one of them wins it. There are rare exceptions like with Athletico recently or some other "minor" clubs like Valencia, Deportivo and such having good cards shuffled out at one, exceptional season. Still, even Atletis case of that they lost to great Real in CL final. If anyone even will remember that they were the rivals.

tl;dr version : People, get real. CL is the World Cup of clubs. Nothing less. Nationals may rejoice about their continental trophies, but it's not even close to winning a WC. Even Euros are kinda meh, but WC is da thing. The same with CL in club football.

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Truth is history remembers everything not what some want to remember or not. Barca winning the triple in 2015 is a good recent example of a meritory best of the world team in that season. Not Chelshit 2012 nor rm in recent years.

serghei said:

For me it's very hard to pick between the CL and La Liga because they are so very different.

So, if we're to ask different questions, all of those which would have an impact on what is the most important trophy each season, you get different answers.

Hardest to win? CL

Most dependant on luck and factors you can't control? CL

Most fair and the one that rewards day in day out professionalism and dedication over the whole season? La Liga

The one that covers most of the season and the one which the other depends on? La Liga

The one that most people would choose if asked to keep only one between the two? La Liga

More special? CL

Most popular? CL

Most physically challenging? La Liga

Click to expand...

Agreed.
And when a team gets both trophies in a season (the domestic liga + CL) is when one can say that is the best team in Europe in that season. One without the other doesn't do it.

Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to play some bench players. I know its Espanyol and there is huge pressure to win this game, specially getting knocked out at the nou camp would be humiliating. But given that we have had numerous injuries, we are actually quite delicately poised, should any of our core players get injured now we could be in big trouble. Especially with the champions league next month.

If I were EV I would ask myself the following question: What is the probability to win the 'Treble' compared to the probability to win both La Liga and reach the Champions League Final WITHOUT winning the Copa?
Based on what we learned last year and the year before, the effort needed to win the CDR may cost so much energy that CL performances are suffering. Yes, we defeated Atletico in the Copa, but was it worth it to have Messi tired when it really counted?
Real Madrid won two consecutive CL's while dropping out of the Copa at an early stage. The key players were fresh and rested when it counted. Zidane won Coaching awards and Ronaldo won consecutive Ballon d'Ors.
Bottom line: Should we really field our best team to eliminate Espanyol and perhaps risk injuries?
There is no doubt that we could crush Espanyol, and - yes - there is no doubt that Messi and Suarez have reached top form, but do we really want to repeat what went wrong the past 2 years?
Let's win La Liga and optimize our CL performances - let's keep Messi, Suarez, Busquets, Piqué, and Alba out of the upcoming Espanyol match!

I believe we can get through with the b team..even without messi tbh..asspanyol played little football at home..and will probably field 8 defenders..

If i was EV..i would be as arrogant as to field team without messi and still qualify.

Kuchi said:

I believe we can get through with the b team..even without messi tbh..asspanyol played little football at home..and will probably field 8 defenders..

If i was EV..i would be as arrogant as to field team without messi and still qualify.

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Messi needs to play. To shit on Asspanyol as usual. But I wouldn't play him the whole game. Probably introduce him at the beginning of 2nd half, when Asspanyol begins to tire...

It will be Messi and Suarez, it's a derby and see need a win.

Messi doesn't need rest, but Suarez does. Even so I believe the duo will play against Espanyol, the 4-5-1 didn't work at all last week.

Windhook said:

Messi doesn't need rest, but Suarez does. Even so I believe the duo will play against Espanyol, the 4-5-1 didn't work at all last week.

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Suarez will rest against Alaves because he got his fifth yellow.