Date: Wednesday, 11/07/2012 20:45

Competition: Champions League

Stadium: Celtic Park, Glasgow

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers

Adriano picked up an injury on the weekend therefore meaning that Alba will definately be leftback on Wednesday whilst meaning Barta will play in the defense alongside Mascherano. Messi picked up a knock and could possibly be out for the game though not sure...

----------------Valdes------------------
Alves--Barta--Mascherano--Alba
----Xavi------Song------Iniesta-----
---Pedro------Messi/Cesc----Alexis--

If we win this game then we can relax for the remaining GS games, giving an opportunity for blokes like Barta, Pinto, Montoya, Thiago, Tello, Roberto and JDS to shine...

---villa--------messi-------pedro---

-------iniesta----------xavi----------

-------------alex-song--------------

alba----masch---------batra--alves


Busquets is still suspended for this one. I think iniesta should start to bring calm in the midfield because the Celtic fans can really get their team going. Going behind in this game can be dangerous, the crowd needs to be silenced asap.

Villa needs to start instead of Alexis so that he can bury all the chances we might get early in the game. Alexis' workrate is not really needed in this game.

With villa-iniesta-alba on that left side and messi, alves, pedro on the right, Celtic will really have a tough night.

Batra should also start this game imo. I liked the way he bullied HOOPER in the last game. Pique can get 15 mins or so later on to avoid mascherano getting another yellow, for instance.

Messi is training normally and will play.

Alexis, tello can come in as subs and exploit Celtic's tired legs.

We must win this. If Benfica beat Spartak (which is most likely as they are @ home and are desperate for a 1st win in CL), then we qualify for the next round as guaranteed group winners!

We can then avoid injuries by resting key players in Russia's cold plastic pitch and also the Benfica home game.

I also think we are due for our 1st defeat and losing in these 2 games wont matter especially if youngsters play.

Yeah, Busquests is still out. Fixed.

Celtic are traditionally a very tough team. And by tough I mean there's gonna be beating. I wouldn't mind if Tito desided to rest some of our heavy guns

I just think Celtic Park will be a bit too intense for a young player like Bartra...I'm certain that's why Piqué 'rushed' back to fitness...Still think it'll be him paired with Mascherano

Like to see Cesc start this with Iniesta in midfield along with the traditional MVP trident...Alexis, Tello & Xavi as the subs

Lennon's boys will approach the match very similar to how they did at Camp Nou, with or without Samaras, Izaguirre & Rogne...If Izaguirre is indeed out, LB will be the weak link in what was an impressive backline for Celtic...And seeing that so many of our attacks build from that right flank, it'll be the opening to exploit

A motivated new father paired with his right flank partners in Pedro & Alves means bad news for Celtic, I believe...Especially if Izaguirre is out

Arguably, this will be tougher than the first leg because there will be 60,000 intense supporters pushing their side along regardless of who scores first...Celtic can't afford to lose so scoring early will force them to take more risks and unpark that bus

Pique is available so I assume he'd start.


>> Bartra, Tello, Cesc/Alexis off the bench.

Have a feeling Messi will be rested for no risk, cesc mid, sanchez over pedro and villa starting later to be subbed by Messi or Tello.
I WISH Pique + Barta but it'll just be pique + Mascherano and well everything else is obvious.

I think Cesc will be rested, he has played many games in a row now. Possibly Alexis will come back as a starter too. I think it's good to rest either Pedro or Villa for a more important weekend game (we've got 1st spot guaranted IMO). So I would play something like:

VV
Alves Bartra Mascherano Alba
Xavi Song Iniesta
Villa Messi Alexis

Cesc didn't start in the 1st leg and it could be argued that his directness was missed

Valdes
Alves Bartra Masche Alba
Cesc Song Iniesta
Alexis Messi Villa

Piqué & Mascherano were observed in the training session at Celtic Park, working out positioning and signals on movement...Seems pretty clear Gerard will indeed start

Really bad luck. Hitting the post 2 times. We need to be more clinical if we want to win. Their defending is also solid, and counters dangerous.

Looking really good, sometimes football just is unjust. We should also take more chances outside the box.

Frustrating half.

Ill get it out the way first, I dont understand this ref. Celtic players getting away with yellow card challanges, one player did 2 of them and got away. Songs first foul and automatic yellow smh.

But yeah, he has to be careful now. Aside from those two fouls he has done good, but he will do well to last the 90. I expect Cesc and Xavi drop back or JDS coming on.

But speaking of midfielders, Wanyama is bossing us to be honest. He has slowed Iniesta at every turn, made 3 challanges on Messi only he could of made and has clogged up the middle very well. Then on the ball he has mad composure aswell as speed over distance....he is a better, faster version of Song.

Going forward, we been close but just lack the final action. I am not very worried just yet, but a goal pre HT would of been nice. It sort of can go two ways now I guess. We score and then have to struggle to get a second, or they score again.

On their goal, who got beat..was it Bartra or Alba? Meh stream, I couldnt tell. If it was Bartra im dissapointed, he has had a good game overall but my worry with him before was a lack of strength, he showed it there, completely overwhelmed. If it was Alba...why on earth was he positioned there in a zonal marking set up?

Going forward we okay, its a bit hard as they parking the bus but we like a move away. Other than Pedro refusing to dribble when 1 v 1 and Iniesta being motly taken out the game by Wanyama it aint that bad. Messi almost scored, but I expect another gear from him.

lol typical Song gets a yellow card in the first 20 minutes and becomes passive when defending afterwards #IToldYouBeforeItHappened

Also you should stop conceding corners. They have as much success rate as penalties against Barça

You never stop do you?

I mean, you wont give dude an once of credit. He is on a yellow, made another foul which could of been yellow...of course he isnt going to go into 50/50's now.

Before the yellow, he was actually doing very well both defensively and offensively.

Well, Song was ok, had couple of misplaced passes in somewhat bad position, but otherwise not a bad game IMO.

@jiopsi love your avatar. Dr. Strangelove right?

The Franchise wrote:Before the yellow, he was actually doing very well both defensively and offensively.

You mean those 13 minutes? golfclap...

Sometimes this team pisses me off...do they score a goal just to annoy me or something? Giving me false hope.

Mascherano getting taken to schooled by 17 year olds..he get worse everytime I see him.

Look forward to the weekend, not much to say about this one.

danyjr wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Before the yellow, he was actually doing very well both defensively and offensively.

You mean those 13 minutes? golfclap...

Well what you want him to do? Be good before the game starts? lol

The Franchise wrote:Mascherano getting taken to schooled by 17 year olds..he get worse everytime I see him.

Mascherano was not at fault. It was an easy ball Xavi should have cleared, simple as that.

we've grown predictable. that's how I feel.
Celtic managed to black us out withought many problems

Chealstic did what they had to do, we did not have luck. Although our shots where somewhat weak, Fraser Forster was amazing

Over reliance on Messi in my opinion. Every time a player is close to the area they are looking for Messi, completely ignoring whatever else is going around them, not passing to anyone else in a better position or taking a shot. Ever wondered why we haven't seen Pedro score for Barcelona for such a long time? He doesn't take half as many shots as before.

Wasn't able to see it as per usual for CL games, but looks like one to forget.

Better next time eh?