Moving Ahead With Hope

With Real Madrid up against the challenge posed in the Madrid derby by Athletico, Barcelona will be surely hoping to cut down the defending champions lead. Barcelona fans will be positively looking towards Athletico Madrid to do them a favour. With Madrid's form of last weeks and considering that Casillas may not be able to keep everything out of Goal, there is a sure chance. But this Madrid side has raised their game every time they came across a tough opposition.

But first of all Barcelona should and will (hopefully) concentrate fully at the job in hand. Playing Racing at home should be easy, especially with the good results running up to the match. Racing currently is at 6th position eying for a UEFA cup spot this season. If Barcelona’s away form has been worse then Racing's has been appalling (but better than Sevilla). Are they capable of a surprise at Nou Camp? I don't think so. Again Barcelona can become own enemy.

Henry needs to start at the left; he looks more comfortable there and can provide enough attacking options from that position. Picking up the midfield formation will be the toughest one. Rijkaard has to pick from Xavi, Deco and Gudjonsen to decide the starting line up. Oleguer should be back in the squad but Ezquerra is most likely to miss out with a groin strain. Either one of the kids - Bojan or Giovani is expected to start along with Iniesta and Henry.

Barcelona is all set to sign José Manuel Pinto from Celta as a back up for injured Joquerra. This should be the only acquisition this mid season transfer window. Nic has more on that Barça And Celta Agree Terms for Pinto or you can visit F C Barcelona

Everything Happens for Good

From the most beautiful offence in Europe, Barcelona in the recent past has slowly transformed into a highly effective defense. How much of this was contributed by the lack of form and understanding of their recent players is the only matter of question. Certain injuries also have added to the recent state of affairs - mostly of the talented Lionel Messi.

It came as a surprise to a lot of people across the world that Barcelona with their ultra talented line up won nothing the last season. They played bad at crucial games and juncture and looked like a completely spent force. So naturally everyone expected things to turn around this season. From the administration front all efforts were taken to plug any weakness in the side. Yaya, Abidal were brought inorder to plug the defensive holes. Henry was brought so that the Champions League title come visiting back again.

Heaven O' heaven, you can plan as much as you want, but somebody else will be controlling things around. The season started with all kind of things. Barcelona suddenly forgot to win at away grounds. Home teams which were afraid of Barcelona's offensive even in away matches now looked to hunt them down. They may not have hunted them, but surely maqny have hurt them. Above all Barcelona saw their arch rival crowned as winter champions with a seven points lead, in which the old fort of Nou Camp fell to the Mardid attack.

Maybe the loss against Madrid came at the right time. Barcelona looks more determined now. They look like they have decided to drop the non performers from the side. I haven't seen this Barcelona side use their grit to overcome an opponent. Earlier they depend only on their flair. But the Sevilla tie in Copa Del rey was an exception. They planned, executed and fought the opponent with perfection. They might have become a little less attractive, but they are still as effective as earlier.

All the hardcore Barcelona fans will be wishing the team come back to the earlier style. But I believe the pattern for sometime will remain the same. They might add some flair with Messi coming back. But still they will be looking to grind the results. As I believe "Everything Happens for Good".

A Job Well Done ; Barcelona-0, Sevilla-0

In a match where Barcelona were prepared to defend and attack on counter, a goal less draw looks as good as a win, particularly when you proceed for the next round of Copa Del Rey. The defending champions could not break down the Barcelona defense and had to exit the Copa del rey race much earlier than they expected. All across Barcelona forums and blogs there is a sense of disappointment in the way Barcelona went with the Job. But Let me congratulate the team and their coach for a job well done. They planned this two legged tie well and executed it to perfection.

Sevilla started the game brightly with a wonderful attack on Barcelona Goal mouth which should have (on any other day) resulted in a goal. Daniel Alves one of the best Left Wingers in the game, provided a inch perfect cross to which Chevanton could not make a decent contact. A goal there should have changed the game towards Sevilla. The first half had few chances and the only one clear cut chance was the early mentioned one. In the third minute Iniesta did well to advance from a Gudjonsen pass only to shoot wide of the post from outside the Goal post. In the 19th minute Iniesta made another wonderful run(this time inside the box) off the wonderful work by Henry again to shoot above the crossbar from a very tight angle. In the 23rd minute Sevilla missed another great chance to score a goal when Fabiano headed wide from a Chevanton Corner. He should have at least tested the Goal Keeper as he has done the difficult job of climbing above the defense.

For Barcelona the only good chance came at the 32nd minute when a poorly taken Alves free kick found Giovani. Giovani after the initial acceleration fed Henry with the perfect through ball, but unfortunately he shot wide. I though he took the shot too soon. Till that point the Barcelona team never forced the Sevilla keeper, De Sanctis to make a decent save. that honour went to Eidur Gudjonsen when he forced the keeper to make his first save from a long range shot.The keeper did look like making a mess of it.

In the second half it was clear that Barcelona were prepared to defend their lives out.But effectively they shut down the Sevilla attack completely. Sevilla were forced to retort to long range shots to find the Goal. In the 82nd minute daniel Alves looked to surprised valdes with a free kick, it dipped and Valdes was indeed surprised, but was saved by the crossbar. The arrival of fresh legs in the form of Bojan and Deco didn't change anything. Then in the 85th minute Navas scrambled the ball into Barcelona Goal, but to be adjudged offside rightly. In the injury time Bojan and Iniesta forced two good save from sevilla Goalkeeper.

Barcelona team can consider themselves to have done a very good job. there were some nervous moments, especially the Navas Goal. They could do well without those nervous moments. henry looked more comfortable when he is in the left side and Iniesta (who was the best player on the field) did well but need to improve on his scoring ability. With Messi going to return soon we might be able to turn the tables pretty soon.

Chevanton Chance and Subsequent Iniesta Shot