CL | 1/8 Final: FC Barcelona - SSC Napoli 4-2 (agg.)

[eaman]

delete puig immediately out of that lineup.
Chmapions league is not for kids

He is mentally older,stronger and braver than some of the older players

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

According to a few betting sites, we are ranked as number 4 to win the CL this year.

1. City 11/4
2. Munich 10/3
3. PSG 9/2
4. Barcelona 8/1
5. Athletico Madrid 9/1

Odds from https://www.paddypower.com/football/uefa-champions-league?tab=outrights

Last year we where ranked as second behind City

I'd happily take those odds for Barca winning. No way we win that often.

 

[te amo barca]

What will the starting 11 look like against Napoli, guys? I think Setien will play these players:

MAtS - Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba - Roberto, Rakitic, De Jong - Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.

Puig and Ansu will come on in the second half, earlier if we are drawing/losing, later if not. Rakitic, not De Jong will play as the DM because it seems like Setien likes De Jong playing forward and Rakitic behind.

 

[gasgas]

What will the starting 11 look like against Napoli, guys? I think Setien will play these players:

MAtS - Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba - Roberto, Rakitic, De Jong - Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.

Puig and Ansu will come on in the second half, earlier if we are drawing/losing, later if not. Rakitic, not De Jong will play as the DM because it seems like Setien likes De Jong playing forward and Rakitic behind.

I hope Puig starts though

..........Rakitic
..de jong......puig

 

[soul24rage]

I would be really disappointed if Puig doesn't start.

We will need his creativity vs Napoli's bus

 

[JohnN]

Mats
Bob Pique Lenglet Alba
Rakitic, De Jong, Puig
Messi, Suarez, Griezmann

 

[Catta]

Roberto should play as a RB against Napoli, because Semedo doesn't offer anything in attack. But in the next round against Bayern, Semedo should be RB to counter their fast wingers, and Sergi in midfield alongside De Jong and Vidal.

 

[Andresito]

Yet it was Semedo who provided the assist for Griezmann in the first leg

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Roberto should play as a RB against Napoli, because Semedo doesn't offer anything in attack. But in the next round against Bayern, Semedo should be RB to counter their fast wingers, and Sergi in midfield alongside De Jong and Vidal.

I don't want Vidal versus Bayern. Supersub yes but if he starts we are screwed.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Roberto should play as a RB against Napoli, because Semedo doesn't offer anything in attack. But in the next round against Bayern, Semedo should be RB to counter their fast wingers, and Sergi in midfield alongside De Jong and Vidal.

If we draw 0-0 we are through though. Napoli will have to risk it anyway, we will have space for our attacks. More than usually.

 

[Birdy]

With Vidal, Busi, and Arthur absent,
It seems there are only a few options for the midfield
It seems certain that De Jong will play at DM and the interiors are gonna be Puig/Rakitic or Puig/Roberto.
Let's pray for the latter, with puig de jong roberto we will have at least three people who can run and cover ground especially when being counter-attacked by Napoli.
Of course all the pathogenies of the team will still be there with Messi-Suarez-Griezman as trident upfront

According to a few betting sites, we are ranked as number 4 to win the CL this year.

1. City 11/4
2. Munich 10/3
3. PSG 9/2
4. Barcelona 8/1
5. Athletico Madrid 9/1

Odds from https://www.paddypower.com/football/uefa-champions-league?tab=outrights

Last year we where ranked as second behind City

Telling how clueless some betting companies are.
Atalanta, Atletico, RM, Juventus should all be ahead of us in the odds.
RM, Juventus are low because they face City, but the same rationale says we face Bayern

 

[khaled_a_d]

Roberto should play as a RB against Napoli, because Semedo doesn't offer anything in attack.

In the current system under Setien I think it is the opposite, we rely on Semedo being a winger more than a full back and he has not supported defense enough. He is still limited but has been fairly productive. OTOH Roberto has been the more balanced FB for us.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Sorry but Puig HAS to play, Napoli will no doubt park the bus and Puig has shown some killer balls through recently.

 

[El Gato]

Sorry but Puig HAS to play, Napoli will no doubt park the bus and Puig has shown some killer balls through recently.

Why would they park the bus? They're losing the tie as it stands.

This is a game where it's Barca who need to be effective in transition early, not Napoli. This will reverse the moment they score so Gattuso will have to play a flexible lineup to accommodate that i.e. press high early and try to get a goal to even the tie up, but then revert to conservative style and exploiting pace contrast between Mertens, Insigne and his other assets vs Barca players.

Puig and FDJ are a necessity, but the third man in midfield is debatable. IMO it might even be worth starting Busquets for press resistance and taking him off if no longer a priority in the even of going 0-1 down. Fati starting on the LW ahead of Suarez could be bold too and if Setien wants to keep the job longer than he stands to, he needs to take risks.

 

[Birdy]

Puig and FDJ are a necessity, but the third man in midfield is debatable. IMO it might even be worth starting Busquets for press resistance and taking him off if no longer a priority in the even of going 0-1 down. Fati starting on the LW ahead of Suarez could be bold too and if Setien wants to keep the job longer than he stands to, he needs to take risks.

Busquets is suspended.
Setien has no power to bench Suarez. Sad truth