La Liga Round 34: Valladolid - Barca 1-2

[FC B]

LL is the second most important title we can get after CL.

LL title was won in much poorer seasons with poorer play from the team and I have no dobut it will happen again, we have plenty of these and we'll win more.

CL on the other hand is something not only different but special, no wonder we grabbed last one a whole decade ago and in the mean time we won quite a few LLs.

For me it's clear, rotate every single starter, rest them as well as possible for the Inter game, we are ONE game away from a CL final where anything can happen and can grab a CL trophy once more which in the circumstances would be probably the best CL for Barca of them all.

Even if we draw/lose tonight which shouldn't happen vs. a segunda squad even if start with the subs, there is stil a game in hand vs. Madrid and we also have a 4 point cushion.

I know Flick won't do this and will play at least a few starters but better not lose at Giuseppe Meazza.

We saw Barca ran vs. Inter less than vs. Bayern with a staggering 12km, had we run so much more we would've beaten Inter convincingly at Montjuic.

 

[MasQueCulé]

I'm surprised to not see balde. Is there a reason for that ?
He was expected to be available for Valadoid

 

[mc_lovin]

Even if we draw/lose tonight which shouldn't happen vs. a segunda squad even if start with the subs, there is stil a game in hand vs. Madrid and we also have a 4 point cushion.

What? We lose/draw today (+Real wins tomorrow) and a loss in the Clasico means the League is gone. No cushion, no game in hand. Nothing.

 

[serghei]

There is no guarantee that if you take it easy vs Valladolid you are gone increase your chances vs Inter in the 2nd leg. As Flick said, you take it a game at a time. By far the best approach.

We will rotate, but we won't go crazy with it playing a first 11 completely devoid of any matchday chemistry. Lamine, Pedri, Raphinha is all we need to rest basically. Not even sure about Raph. He looked super fit and fresh vs Inter. Could easily play 45 mins here and watch out for a yellow card.

 

[mc_lovin]

Mallorca is the blueprint. Make some necessary rotations and hopefully have an easy game without much intensity (= better training session).

 

[FC B]

What? We lose/draw today (+Real wins tomorrow) and a loss in the Clasico means the League is gone. No cushion, no game in hand. Nothing.

Nodoy said lose today, lose vs. Madrid.

Firstly Barca should never but never ever lose today even starting with the subs.

 

[FC B]

There is no guarantee that if you take it easy vs Valladolid you are gone increase your chances vs Inter in the 2nd leg. As Flick said, you take it a game at a time. By far the best approach.

We will rotate, but we won't go crazy with it playing a first 11 completely devoid of any matchday chemistry. Lamine, Pedri, Raphinha is all we need to rest basically.

Ofc there are no guarentees but imo with a ton of LLs in the bag and so rarely in the final phases of CL the priority between Valladolid game and Inter game should always remain CL.

 

[serghei]

Ofc there are no guarentees but imo with a ton of LLs in the bag and so rarely in the final phases of CL the priority between Valladolid game and Inter game should always remain CL.

And it will be. That is why we will rest some key players. I am sure Pedri and Lamine who looked tired in the 2nd half vs Inter will not start vs Valladolid, especially given Lamine felt discomfort in the match warmup.

CL is tricky. Only winning it counts a lot. It is not the type of competition to go all in on, at the detriment of La Liga.

Not even a Copa final was worth sacrificing for the Inter match. We are dealing with Real Madrid here. As long as we have Real Madrid breathing down our neck, priority is the league.

We are fortunate enough to have Valladolid. But if this was Espanyol away, almost the full team would be used.

 

[mc_lovin]

League is the most important title if you ask me. CL is more special though if that makes any sense.

Just imagine we blow the League in this game + the Clasico... season would turn into a nightmare really fast. Suddenly the whole project is tainted.

 

[serghei]

League is the most important title if you ask me. CL is more special though if that makes any sense.

Just imagine we blow the League in this game + the Clasico... season would turn into a nightmare really fast. Suddenly the whole project is tainted.

Absolutely. Flick said himself the league shows the work and consistency of the season. Many managers said the same.

Maybe if we had some easier CL final opponent like Tottenham or Dortmund in the last years, then beating Inter would get us very close to the title. A team we'd be big favorites against. But even if we make it past Inter, we are facing a top tier CL finalist.

 

[FC B]

And it will be. That is why we will rest some key players. I am sure Pedri and Lamine who looked tired in the 2nd half vs Inter will not start vs Valladolid, especially given Lamine felt discomfort in the match warmup.

CL is tricky. Only winning it counts a lot.

Yeah but winning it is impossible if you don't win the 2nd leg of the SF as Barca is forced to atm.

Inter rested in Serie A and lost points and I'm sure he'll rest today massively too and may lose more points in their fight for the title because Inzaghi and everybody there knows all to well CL is much more more important than any domestic title.

Moreover, Flick's Barca beat Madrid twice 9-2 aggregate score and Bayern 4-1 by running more/much more than their opponents, running is a cornerstone of Flick's football. Unless they have fresh legs they can't run and press like they did thus Barca being weaker, I'd say much weaker.

 

[serghei]

Just don't think it's worth jeopardizing the league for not one, but two CL games which would be 50-50 affairs. CL title is not that close as people think. Some gruesome 180, or potentially 240 mins is a lot of football.

 

[FC B]

Just don't think it's worth jeopardizing the league for not one, but two CL games which would be 50-50 affairs. CL title is not that close as people think. Some gruesome 180, or potentially 240 mins is a lot of football.

I agree but not even LL is that close to be secured, we could also lose points here and there not only tonight or vs. Madrid.

Madrid in some seasons sacrificed everything for CL. It is extremely difficult to make trebles particularly with such a thin squad like Barca's.

 

[serghei]

La Liga is very close. Win today and title is almost in the bag if Madrid don't make 6 points in the next 2 games.

Don't think Madrid beat us, but a draw is possible. A draw would keep us with 4 points advantage. 6 points vs Espanyol and Villareal at home make us champions before the last match.

 

[FC B]

Madrid will die to win all the remaining games since LL is their only hope to get any silverware this season. While I don't think they will beat us ofc there is this possibility. The team will likely be dead tired after Inter 2nd leg and possibly even with low morale if they get knocked out of CL.

All four remaining LL games after this are difficult.