FC Barcelona - FC Bayern Munich | Wed, May 1st | CL Semifinals 2nd leg

Team I'd like to see:

Valdes
Alves - Pique - Bartra - Adriano
Xavi - Busquets - Iniesta
Alexis - Messi - Villa

But I think Pedro will start and Villa won't.

I hope Pedro doesn't start really. Maybe Tello/Villa to partner Alexis. Alexis because he's the only other winger (besides Tello) who has been scoring goals lately, though missing a lot more.

Also, I heard Busquets might not start since he apparently had a Hernia for a few weeks. I won't mind Song starting though. Biggest problem for tomorrow as it has been for the season is our defence.

If Tello doesn't start in this one, I'll lose my faith in Tito. Cules have been demanding him to start Villa for months and what did get from that in the end? Close to nil contribution. Tello has earned his spot, it's time to reward him with a start.

There is really no pressure for this game at all, thats how bad the 1st leg defeat was.

I hope thiago and tello feature at some point.

No Busquets
No Abidal

danyjr wrote:No Busquets
No Abidal

Yup...we're screwed.

I want us to at least win though. That will be a much better send off. Our home form against big teams this season (bar DMeelan) has been pretty bad. If Messi really shows up to this game, then I can maybe hope for more, but against this Bayern side, it's going to need a team effort. And if I'm going to be honest here, it just isn't there right now.

Tomorrow it will be too difficult for us because we have no away goal, a very shaky defense and are not facing a young side who will panic in such situations. What a Barcelonista does hope for is the restoration of some pride. Show some fight and quality. Win the match and make it as close as possible. Take the spirit from the Milan second leg. Let's see what happens.

Just seen Real, with a bit of luck, they almost went though

We are in a different situation and have no chance, unless Messi plays to his best it is possible But realistically speaking, I just want us to show up and play to our best ability and go out with pride.

BarcaLearning wrote:Just seen Real, with a bit of luck, they almost went though

Too bad they used up all their luck in the second round and quarter final ties. In fact they used a little of it in the semi final first leg as well. I have said before that 4-1 flattered them and it really should have been a 6-0.

Dont think Busquets will be a big miss. He clearly struggling, not playing at his usual level and its not like he has a Kroos he needs to shackle, Muller is a different player all together. Song will do.

Tie is over and we are in a no win situation. We win, its because Bayern think the tie is over..we lose, its just a bigger shame.

I think Bayern want to bury us, so it might be a tough watch.

I really do not care if we loose or win at this point. Our defense is shit plus injuries at the same time. I am actually happy we made it so far. Let us get la liga and i am more than happy with this season considering what i said above.

We should go with the line up/strategy we used vs Milan 2nd leg - with Messi on the right moving in and out with Villa who was in the middle. It's time we sink or swim (or in other words go out with some dignity)

----------Valdes
Alves-Barta-Pique-Alba
---------Song
----Xavi------Iniesta
Messi--Villa---Tello

Bench
Pinto
Cesc
Pedro
Alexis
Thiago
.............Jesus with Abidal, Puyol, Adriano, Mascherano all injured we really have no more defenders O_O

If Pique or Bartra get injured then Song will be in the defense and Thiago/Cesc as defending mid or centre.

windkick Alba is suspended from the side, are we sure Adriano is still injured? Because if so I say fck it and let's play 3-4-3

I hear Bayern could miss up to 6 of the previous match starters though, so they won't be full strength either.

edit: the called up players are: Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Piqué, Cesc, Xavi, Villa, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Dos Santos, Bartra, Pedro, Montoya, Adriano, Song, Tello y Sergi Roberto.

So Adriano is able to play. He's probably going to be our LB, not sure who will come in for him at the 20th minute when he gets injured though.

dang, so Montoya is the only other defense option we have. Insane

3-4-3 is probably going to be the go

us playing 3 defenders vs the hyper wingers Bayern has and we will get raped 8-0 by half time.

Yeah true but if we have Alves as one of our forwards in the 3-4-3 and they score we which back to 4-3-3

Play Tello and Villa, not the human pinball bumpers Pedro and Alexis.

To be fair, I'd be content with one + Pedro, but I just wanted to say that.

Let's start with Tello today. He is young and inexperienced at this level but we badly need someone who can provide width and initiative.

Why start Tello over Villa? Tello is a great option as a substitute to come in and change the game, but the benefits of him coming on are far less from a start. I'd much rather we start Villa and sub Tello in at the 60 mins mark.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Why start Tello over Villa? Tello is a great option as a substitute to come in and change the game, but the benefits of him coming on are far less from a start. I'd much rather we start Villa and sub Tello in at the 60 mins mark.

Fair point. I didn't want to say this openly but after the last few games I have lost some confidence in Villa and fear his career is close to an end. Its hard to imagine him making the difference in a big game from now on. Hope he proves me wrong though. If you want to play Villa purely so that he can get a goal then perhaps yes but you will have to work out the positional dynamics with Messi. If you want Villa to be your wing forward with immense work rate and off the ball movement then I guess no. I may want Tello's direct dribbling to give us a different option. You mentioned using Tello as a substitute. If we were starting at 0-0 it would make perfect sense but we are now in a nothing to lose situation. So we need to try things. Who knows what will work.

Confirmed line-ups:

Valdes - Alves, Pique, Bartra, Adriano - Song - Xavi, Iniesta - Pedro, Fabregas, Villa

Neuer - Lahm, van Buyten, Boateng, Alaba - J. Martinez, Schweini - Mueller, Robben, Ribery - Mandzukic

No Messi ... but also no Dante in Bayern's defense...

Manita

Edit: Manita + 1

Edit#2: Manita + 2