Lliga: Espanyol - Barca 0-2

[Flavia]

Just saw Lahoz will be the ref. Should be fun.

 

[Autumn]

Just like every other game, very important!

Let's not forget that Madrid are still going to be missing Modric/Benz for their away Celta game on Sunday. Hopefully a win vs Espanyol on Saturday can really add a lot of pressure to them. I'd love a 5 point lead with 5 games remaining .

 

[Egert]

Vamos! Let's beat these Espanyol boys. Messi needs to find some form and so needs Pique, he hasn't been very good for 2-3 games but still better than Leo

 

[Mido]

[formation=barca,6]
Bravo
0-Piqué-0-0-0-Mascheranp-0
Alves-0-0-0-0-0-Alba
0-0-0-Busquets-0-0-0
0-Rakitic-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-Iniesta-0-0
0-Messi-0-0-0-0-Neymar
0-0-0-Suarez-0-0-0
[/formation]

Subs need to be made early, just like against Paris, that was great coaching from Lucho. I hope Rakitic's and Messi's fitness conditions are fine. Rakitic seems to be completely exhausted in certain games for the last 15-20 minutes.

 

[Devils]

We should crush them tbh.

 

[vlad]

I dislike Espanyol with a passion. In my book and that of most locals this is one of the most important games in the entire season.

Normally the game is more about who will have the bragging rights in Barcelona and Catalonia but this season the game is crucial for our title hopes IMO.

It will by no means be an easy game unless everything clicks. Espanyol will give it all and they are likely to be more rested than us considering our very demanding schedule of late. We barely won last season before a somewhat harsh penalty (if I recall) decided the game.

I am quite nervous to say the least and before we began our current "marathon" against Celta I predicted the away game against PSG and the away game against Espanyol to be the most demanding/difficult games in that run of matches. I was wrong about the first game and I hope that I will be wrong this time around as well.

The team is in a very good dynamic and there are no injury concerns which helps a lot. My main concern is fatigue and that the team and Lucho might underestimate a very motivated Espanyol team in their own backyard. They really have little to lose contrary to us.

im not afraid that lucho will underestimate them, he was a barca player, true cule, he know everything about matches like this, im sure he will not disappoint

 

[Leo_Messi]

im not afraid that lucho will underestimate them, he was a barca player, true cule, he know everything about matches like this, im sure he will not disappoint

Indeed but some of the players might underestimate them. After such a hectic schedule and all the success you might take an opponent like Espanyol lightly or not as seriously as they deserve. At least subconsciously. I am not worried about Lucho.

Lucas Vázquez, Caicedo and Casilla are already talking about how important/big it would be to defeat us.

 

[Antimadridista1]

Just saw Lahoz will be the ref. Should be fun.

Hmm.. Not that fun. Never liked the guy even if he's one of the best referees in la Liga (shows how poor referees are in the spanish league).

 

[anguy]

Win this game and we win the league as simple as that. I'm really worried about Messi's form right now. Hope he gives an amazing performance..

Messi should sit this one. Yeah, I know we NEED to win this - and this is EXACTLY the reason why he should sit on bench. With his current exhaustion he's not very helpful in offense and major liability in defense. Lucho be bold, bench him for next 3 games, play Rafinha instead.

 

[linetty]

Messi should sit this one. Yeah, I know we NEED to win this - and this is EXACTLY the reason why he should sit on bench. With his current exhaustion he's not very helpful in offense and major liability in defense. Lucho be bold, bench him for next 3 games, play Rafinha instead.

Nooo. We can't bench Messi against Pericos as it's a very tough game and he usually scores important goals out of the blue. He can have lots of rest against Cordoba and Getafe.

 

[gatsu]

Just saw Lahoz will be the ref. Should be fun.

It's going to be ugly aspanyol just got a white card to be in butcher mode.

A must win game, full force from the start.

 

[anguy]

Nooo. We can't bench Messi against Pericos as it's a very tough game and he usually scores important goals out of the blue. He can have lots of rest against Cordoba and Getafe.

Like I said that's exactly the reason why he should be benched. I have a feeling we will lose the game because of him - not necessarily because of his offense, but because of nonexistent defensive contribution. He was walking every time PSG had a ball and even with that Luiz was clearly faster than him in second half.

[formation=barca,6]
0
0-0-Pique-0-Masch-0-0
Alves-0-0-0-0-0-Alba
0-0-0-Busqets-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-Rakitic-0-0-0-Iniesta-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-Rafinha-0-Suarez-0-Neymar-0
[/formation]

Rafinha is not close to fresh Messi, but I believe rested Rafinha is better than current Messi.

 

[linetty]

Like I said that's exactly the reason why he should be benched. I have a feeling we will lose the game because of him - not necessarily because of his offense, but because of nonexsistent defensive contribution.

I'm confused. Are we really talking about Messi?

 

[anguy]

I'm confused. Are we really talking about Messi?

Yeah, about current Messi who is slower than David Luiz despite having at least 5 meters on him and walking during the whole game. He looked tired already in 15th minute when celebrating Neymar's goal.

 

[linetty]

Yeah, about current Messi who is slower than David Luiz despite having at least 5 meters on him and walking during the whole game. He looked tired already in 15th minute when celebrating Neymar's goal.

We need Messi to make space for Suavecito and Nerman. There needs to be 3 man on him even if he's subpar. He can have the fucking rest after that.