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

[El Gato]

Ah. Forgot. Well, of the remaining evils, I guess I'd play Vidal over Rakitic ahead of FDJ. Or even play both in a 4-4-2.

He has benched Suarez in the Liga several times now I think? And if he's smart enough, he knows he's in a high-risk high-reward situation. If he plays Fati and it proves something Gattuso didn't expect, it works and they create at least a shred of hope for making it past Bayern in a single fixture, he'll keep the job for longer in 20/21 rather than being sacked immediately and some Kluivert type person taking over for a season.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Vidal is suspended too

 

[soul24rage]

Ah. Forgot. Well, of the remaining evils, I guess I'd play Vidal over Rakitic ahead of FDJ. Or even play both in a 4-4-2.

He has benched Suarez in the Liga several times now I think? And if he's smart enough, he knows he's in a high-risk high-reward situation. If he plays Fati and it proves something Gattuso didn't expect, it works and they create at least a shred of hope for making it past Bayern in a single fixture, he'll keep the job for longer in 20/21 rather than being sacked immediately and some Kluivert type person taking over for a season.

I agree with you that I would play Fati too at LW, but pretty sure Griezmann will play over Fati at LW and Suarez at ST in a 433.

 

[te amo barca]

I agree with you that I would play Fati too at LW, but pretty sure Griezmann will play over Fati at LW and Suarez at ST in a 433.

we'll see if Setien proceeds with the diamond and Griezmann playing more central.

 

[mc_lovin]

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

RM and Juventus are low, because they still have to come back from a defeat (City and Lyon). Even if Juventus go through they are kind of shit. I am pretty sure we are the better team. Atletico finished below us. Atalanta plays nice football, but what the heck. Our individual quality is just better.

I think us behind Bayern, PSG and City is fair enough.

 

[soul24rage]

we'll see if Setien proceed with the diamond and Griezmann playing more central.

If Setien plays Griezmann with Suarez and Messi, I would much prefer that he plays with a diamond than playing a 433 and shoehorn Griezmann at LW.

 

[Richard.H]

Still think the CL is a class or two above what Setien can handle. I'll actually be more surprised with us getting through than Napoli winning. Napoli has had a very solid restart to the season.

 

[Vilarrubi]

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.

Not sure but pressing high at Camp Nou rarely ends well for opponents. If it was away then pressing seems to work well against us. They'd be better parking the bus and hitting us on the counter.

 

[serghei]

Still think the CL is a class or two above what Setien can handle. I'll actually be more surprised with us getting through than Napoli winning. Napoli has had a very solid restart to the season.

Would be a major upset for us not to go through. I am confident we'll beat them without many problems. Something like a 3-1.

Bayern though... we have maybe 20-30% chances against them. We'd need the veterans to have quite a special day to get to the semis, and I don't think they have it in them at this stage anymore. Too old and too slow against the most in form and fittest team in Europe.

 

[El Gato]

Vidal is suspended too

No alternatives then. Ouch. Not the end of the world I suppose, but not great.

Not sure but pressing high at Camp Nou rarely ends well for opponents. If it was away then pressing seems to work well against us. They'd be better parking the bus and hitting us on the counter.

Sure, but they need a goal so bus is a waste of time.

 

[Birdy]

If we go past Napoli, and keep it decent against Bayern (not losing 6-0 and the like) the embarrassment will be avoided.
I was actually happy with the draw, given that Bayern is one of the favorites. It looks better getting kicked out decently against them.
Imagine being drawn to face Atalanta (and of course people with no real insight into Atalanta or looking only at the weight of the name expecting Barca to go through), and Atalanta tearing us apart.


Well, that's the realistic goal in the CL. Just avoid humiliation for the 3rd year in a row.

 

[Andresito]

Midfield alternatives are Frenkie, Rakitic, Riqui and Roberto. Now Roberto will start for sure, the question is as a CM or as RB.
If Roberto plays in midfield I think Riqui (wrongly) will be sacrificed.

Roberto and Frenkie offer the same qualities as CM's with Frenkie being better, so I'd personally start Rakitic as DM with Riqui and Frenkie in front.
Up front I can't see any other alternative than Griezmann, Suarez and Messi, either in a flat line or with Messi behind them.
I think Setien will opt for the latter, which with a bit of fluidity will look like:

Suarez
Roberto/Riqui, Messi, Griezmann
Rakitic, Frenkie
Alba, Lenglet, Pique, Semedo/Roberto​

 

[Vilarrubi]

Still think the CL is a class or two above what Setien can handle. I'll actually be more surprised with us getting through than Napoli winning. Napoli has had a very solid restart to the season.

Huh? Napoli have 2 wins in the last 6 games.....

 

[xXKonan]

RAC1 says there are growing doubts that the game will be played at the Camp Nou due to the rising health concerns due to Covid 19.

 

[Andresito]

RAC1 says there are growing doubts that the game will be played at the Camp Nou due to the rising health concerns due to Covid 19.

Shouldn't it be fairly easy to isolate the players from plane-hotel-Camp Nou-plane?

There are only a few regions in Spain affected by the rise of infected, Catalonia among them, right? Game can still be played in Spain I reckon. Or maybe it'll move to Portugal early.