Lliga: Athletic Bilbao - FC Barcelona 2-2

[ZeeMessi]

This Sunday, November 6th at 20:00!


Next La Liga game is a tough away trip to face Bilbao. With some of our midfield stars rested this week we hopefully see the likes of Iniesta and Xavi (maybe Alexis?) tearing up the pitch.

It was great to see Puyol and Pique CB partnership and I think we will go 4-3-3 against them.

My predicted line up:

VV
Alves Puyol Pique Abidal
Busquests
Xavi Iniesta
Cuenca Messi Villa

I think Fab and Alexis will get a run, and depending on how their managing Puyol possibly Masch to fill in his shoes at some stage.

Predicting Barca to take this 2-1 but I feel a bit more nervous than usual on this game! Llorente is a beast and can turn a game on its head sometimes.

Thoughts and discussion?

[barcetia]

Actually, with Caparros gone and the optimistic Bielsa in, I don't think this will be a classic Bilbao fixture. It will be rough, but not by being unable to score, but to outscore Bilbao.

4-2 maybe?

And naming only Llorente as a beast is a disgrace towards Bilbao.

Herrera, Llorente, Javi Martinez and Muniain are all soon to be world-class players.

[woobie]

If Athletic Club plays the way they did against PSG, it could be a close game. If they play the way they did against Valencia, not so much.

Advantage to Barcelona because they have an extra two days of rest -- Athletic Club play in the Europa League on Thursday away at Salzburg. They've taken all but 2 players on the trip -- Ekiza who's not quite back from an injury and Gurpegi who blew his ACL and is out for 6 months. A number of other players (Llorente, Javi Martinez, Amorebieta, Gabilondo, etc etc etc) all are coming off of knocks so no clue on fitness.

Barcelona should win this one.

[dalitis8]

If all those players are indeed injured, or are coming back from injury, and taking their EL match into account, then Barca should walk this game.

[jamrock]

a game away to bilbao in never an easy game, so i am expecting a real difficult games, especially now that the marriage between the bilbao style and Bielsa's seems to be gelling.

Unless masch is injured he will be starting this one, i think pep will go back to his 3-4-3 system, has it seems to be the default against tougher teams, he probably wants to work out all the kinks before the classico


------------------VV

-----Masch/Alves------Pique------Abidal


----------------Masch/Busquets

----------Xavi----------------------Iniesta


---------------------Cesc


-----Cuenca-------Messi--------Villa.


Perhaps Keita for Cesc to give the midfield for lungs and iniesta playing behind messi

[10Rivaldo]

We've had 4 away games in the league. We dropped points in two of them and only won 0-1 in the other two

[abual3bed1]

resting Xavi - Iniesta and Villa are all because of this game ..

I don't see Cuenca starting in the likes of this place .. it's like hell ..

so it's gonna be Iniesta with Leo and Villa .. Cesc alongside Xavi

[Deco 20]

Not to mention crossing is useless vs Athletic

[Razor]

Easy win for Barcelona.

[Jonathan28]

Sanchez should start me thinks

[Bilal Khan]

0-3

fabregas messi iniesta

[estranged]

it'd be nice to have the match date and time at teh start of every match thread guys

Sunday 6th November 20:00 San Memes

[ZeeMessi]

No problem estranged.

barcetia it's a good point you make about Llorente not being the only threat on their side.

Our away form hasn't been flash and I'm expecting a grinding game - I'd like to see Alexis start as well but I think Pep will ease him back in and Cuenca has been on fire so it's good to see a youngster keep playing based on form. Although Pep does know best with whatever line-up we predict, Pep's thought it over 100 times more!

[PhilS]

3-4-3, Athletic really packs it in against Barca. Masch, Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa will surely start, after resting in Prague. Don't think Alexis is ready for a whole game. Since the non-Spanish internationals will all miss the Copa game, lots of them need to play this one. Tough place to play, they played great defense against Barca a few times last year, very dangerous game.
VV
Masch Pique Abidal
Alves Busquets Xavi Cesc
Villa Messi Iniesta

Alexis to play at least 1/2 hour.

[mitkoa7x]

0-2
Messi and Alexis