linetty wrote:



Luis Enrique: " I'm an iceberg, I don't feel anything special..." #fcblive

."

Iceman

Let's hope he doesnt suffer of a meltdown tomorrow then.

"The feelings are positive, not only because we all want to play, but because of our position and that we're getting players back"

"It's obvious that because of the length of the injury Messi won't be at 100%, I prefer that he plays, but we'll see."

"This game won't determine anything, but it will be a good game, it's always nice to beat the direct rival."

"We'll go to the Bernabéu to win the three points and reduce out rival's potential. Being favorite or not is irrelevant to me."

"I'm not worried about the security issues tomorrow, but the general situation of the world generates nervousness."

"It's the 12th round, we lost there a year ago, we won at the Camp Nou and we won the league. It's not a decisive game."

"We don't plan our game in function of the rival. Our idea is the same, we'll adjust some things to minimize their strengths."

"It would be nice if we could have the best player in the world on the pitch tomorrow."

"As always, I see a strong Real Madrid and I hope that we'll play at our best level to cause them problems."

"I don't focus on the previous results of our opponent. I'd like Madrid to lose every game, but that's not possible"

"We're not looking for a revenge for last year's loss there. They were the better team, they won."

"It's normal that Madrid's fans will whistle or boo our players. Like our fans whistle theirs. Football is passion."

"I'm sure that tomorrow's referees will be four great professionals."

"I didn't ask my players to step forward when Messi was out and I won't ask them to step back now that he's returning."

"I always expect my players to give the best version of themselves."

"Hopefully Madrid will lose and then we can analyze if the 6 point gap is a problem for them. Right now it's all theory."

"When a player like Messi plays all his teammates benefit from his play."

"Madrid is one of the best teams in the world, but I don't think they're better than us."

"If we don't have a good day Madrid can win, just like they did last season."

"I'm the best time of my career as a coach. I was telling my wife that I'm sleeping peacefully."



I love reading his pressers.

Official: Rakitic (calf) and Messi (knee) get the medical green light and are available for the game against Real Madrid tomorrow

So Rakitic-busi-iniesta in midfield

Boooonabeau preparing special welcome for Pique

Pirloisjesus wrote:So Rakitic-busi-iniesta in midfield

No. Rakitic to start off bench

yea his interviews are always solid

Knowing Lucho, I expect this...

------Bravo
Alves-Pique-Math-Alba
------Masch
---Buq----Iniesta
Mess-------Neymar
----Suarez

Then Rakatic to come on for Mathieu or Mascherano and play in midfield (Masch would move to CB)
Sergi to come on for Iniesta, and if Messi shows signs of fatigue I expect Sandro/Munir to come on late for him

Gonna miss the game btw

Traveling in the morning to Austin, so the game will happen while I'm on the road. I will read live pbp, and DVR the match so I can watch when I return to Houston on Sunday.

Just don't play Masch at CB. Anything else I don't care. 90 % of Madrid's game is flooding the box with crosses. Masch gets rekt in every single Clasico.

futbol wrote:Just don't play Masch at CB. Anything else I don't care. 90 % of Madrid's game is flooding the box with crosses. Masch gets rekt in every single Clasico.

This

futbol wrote:Just don't play Masch at CB. Anything else I don't care. 90 % of Madrid's game is flooding the box with crosses. Masch gets rekt in every single Clasico.

this, is also one of the biggest reasons i kind of hope masch and buscuit play together..
but idk if it outweighs how terrible our midfield would be with them together.
hope neymar does something special tomorrow.

Donuts wrote:

futbol wrote:Just don't play Masch at CB. Anything else I don't care. 90 % of Madrid's game is flooding the box with crosses. Masch gets rekt in every single Clasico.

this, is also one of the biggest reasons i kind of hope masch and buscuit play together..
but idk if it outweighs how terrible our midfield would be with them together.
hope neymar does something special tomorrow.

You mean you hope Mehssi does something special (ordinary in Messis dictionary), right? He will be hungry for the ball.

I wouldn't mind Neymar dictating in attack instead of Messi for while tbh. Let him take time and warm up before resuming his usual responsibilities

BarrileteCosmico wrote:All I really want out of this game is for there to be no terrorist attacks. Wouldn't want to be in charge of the bernabeu security right now.

That's probably the biggest problem anywhere in the world today.

free_cat wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:All I really want out of this game is for there to be no terrorist attacks. Wouldn't want to be in charge of the bernabeu security right now.

C'mon, it's impossible there are terrorist attacks. Terrorists wouldn't be so foolish as to strike one of their sponsors. We're safe.

I like making fun of Madrid just as much as anyone here but please let's not hit below the belt. Remember long back there was a crazy Madrid supporter at the forums and he made references to Franco etc. How bad you, I and some others had felt! Then there were supporters in Espanyol's stadium holding 'Die Tito' banners long before his untimely demise. There were those who brought up our thrashing against Bayern even on the day that Tito left this world. The bottom line is that there are douche bags of the worst kinds but let's not sink to the level of such people. The fight against terrorism is the fight of entire humanity against those who have no business being among human beings. It's far beyond any football club rivalry, even Barca and Madrid.

linetty wrote:Luis Enrique: "Busquets is the most intelligent player I've coached. He can play at several positions, but he's at his best as pivot."

I find these most intelligent player quotes very interesting. What Luis Enrique is saying here about Sergio Busquets is very similar to what Pep Guardiola said about Phillip Lahm. This even though both of them have coached Xavi.

My fellow Barca fans, I have a tendency to come back to the forum, after a long absence, just before the Classico and this time is no different.

It's an interesting situation. People don't seem completely convinced by Barca at this time and perhaps understandably so but Madrid look at least slightly worse right now I suppose. The game being played at the Bernabeu perhaps evens things out making this one very hard to call.

I just read one report that Rafa Benitez would be fired if he loses this match. This just a few months after Florentino Perez called him the best coach he ever worked with. I said at the time of his appointment that this would be an unqualified disaster and I continue to hope that I will be proved right.

One thing I find really strange is perhaps for the first time ever since I joined this forum there is hardly any input from dani on the forum and that too before the Classico. His expertise would be very welcome on a matter of such magnitude.

Now we are all set for the MATCH to begin.

VISCA BARCA!!!

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mascherano , Alba; Busquets, Rakitic , Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Modric; James, Bale, Ronaldo; Benzema

MARCA claims Isco will start instead of Hames

That's good tbh. I am worried only about James in that team!

messixaviesta wrote:

free_cat wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:All I really want out of this game is for there to be no terrorist attacks. Wouldn't want to be in charge of the bernabeu security right now.

C'mon, it's impossible there are terrorist attacks. Terrorists wouldn't be so foolish as to strike one of their sponsors. We're safe.

I like making fun of Madrid just as much as anyone here but please let's not hit below the belt.

I understood free's post as him refering to the Qatar Foundation tbh

Messi, who is back after a knee ligament injury, will start on the bench in the game against Real Madrid today. [rac1]

Is inesta God? Don't bother answering its rhetorical question. Whaaaaaat a half of football.

Spoiler:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

messixaviesta wrote:

free_cat wrote:


C'mon, it's impossible there are terrorist attacks. Terrorists wouldn't be so foolish as to strike one of their sponsors. We're safe.

I like making fun of Madrid just as much as anyone here but please let's not hit below the belt.

I understood free's post as him refering to the Qatar Foundation tbh

Interesting. I never thought of it that way. Anyway my humble request is that mirthful comments are not made about matters as serious as terrorism.

What a performance by our team so far! It really should have been 0-3. I hope I am not jinxing it by writing this at half time but to play like this on our biggest rival's ground without Messi and be so much better than them deserves a lot of praise.