To Start The New Year on the Right Note

FC Barcelona would be looking to start the new year in the same way in which they have ended the last year. With a huge ten point lead and a bigger fight between teams for the second spot, there is only one team which can prevent Barca from the Championship - i.e FC Barcelona itself. There is a high chance that players would become a bit complacent and would not focus on the pitch; but then with Guardiola in charge the chances of that happening now is very rare. FC Barcelona players have shown enough commitment on the field and on the training ground this season. The best example would be Eto and Keita cutting short their vacation to train early. Against Mallorca Iniesta is expected to start the match; how much the lack of match practice is going to affect him is yet to be seen. Lionel Messi and Daniel Alves both arrived late from vacation and it is very difficult to see them starting the line-up. As usual Guardiola has not yet named his squad. But there may be certain surprises in his mind.

Valdes would retain his position at goal. Abidal would be preferred as the Left-Back; but with the chances of Alves starting very remote, Puyol may be asked to fill the Right- Back role. In that case Marquez and Pique would join in the centre of defense. But I would prefer Puyol being pushed to centre and some one from B-Team making taking the position of Right-Back. The centre of defense would be ideally made up of Xavi, Toure and Iniesta. Up front Eto and Henry should be teaming with either Bojan or Pedro. Real Mallorca are no push-over; but still with the form displayed by FC Barcelona it is difficult to see him Mallorca taking anything out of this match. Mallorca would be using the usual style of ten men behind the ball to stop Barca; but how much they will succeed only time will tell. My prediction is FC Barcelona running away with the match with a 5-1 victory.

FC Barcelona Marches On; Villareal-1,Barca-2

Barcelona moved ten points clear of their nearest rival with a hard fought win at El Madrigal. Goals from Keita and Henry helped Barca to continue their unbeaten streak after Barca have gone behind from a goal from Cani. To make things worse Barca's Pique was sent off and had to hold off with ten men in the final ten minutes. But overall it was a very satisfying, tough and hard fought victory. Pep Guardiola chose Busquets ahead of Toure. Alves, Pique, Puyol and Alves formed the back four. The midfield as expected were packed with defensive players with Xavi partnering, Busquets and Keita. Henry, Messi and Eto formed front three. Messi had another quiet game by his standard but it was good to see Xavi hitting top form.

Barca as expected dominated possession from the beginining, but couldn't break an organised defense. Majority of the chances in the first half fell to Henry and he did waste a few of them. There were questioned raised about Barcelona's ability to respond after going behind against quality team; that should temporarily subsidise now. Just after the breakCani put Villareal forward with a neat finish afetr the defense failed to keep hold of him. Barca responded vigourously and was rewarded by the goal in the 54th minute when Keita lept bravely in front of Diego Lopez to head into the empty net. Then in the 66th minute Henry put Barca ahead with a great volley from a Xavi cross. Then in the 74th minute Pique was sent off picking his second card in a space of three minutes. Reduced to Ten men Guardiola brought Caceres for Henry and re-organised the defense. With the one man advantage Villareal started pressing in the final moments and should have equalised but Nihat and Franco wasted their chances.

Villareal vs FC Barcelona Preview

FC Barcelona would be playing their last match of 2008 against Villareal at El Madrigal. FC Barcelona enter this match clearly knowing the fact that a victory at Villareal's home would take them eleven points clear of their rival. Real Madrid continued with their recovery under Ramos with a hard fought home win against Valencia. That lose of Valencia means Athletico Madrid who won against espanyol hold the second spot. A victory for Villareal would take them to the second spot. Barcelona would love to end this 2008 in a great note with a victory against Villareal; that would do justice to the way they played and fought in recent matches. Traditionally FC barcelona have struggled at El Madrigal and would like to correct that here. This is going to be a really tough match for Guardiola and there were questions asked about the squad after the Real Madrid encounter. Especially Messi, after a not so brilliant Classico performance he wanted to get things right back on track.

The squad selected for the Villareal travel is Valdés, Henry, Xavi, Piqué, Puyol, Cáceres, Sylvinho, Bojan, Eto'o, Messi, Hleb, Dani Alves, Abidal, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Touré, Pinto, Sergio Busquets and Víctor Sánchez. Marquez is injured and hence rested; there were reports of Iniesta being given green signal by Medical staff but he is also rested. The side should be similiar to the recent starting eleven. Valdes should start at the Goal. Abidal, Puyol, Pique and Alves should make the defense. Xavi, Toure and Busquets would be making up a very tough midfield. Eto, Henry and Messi would be the attacking trio. Messi has to lift his game as the midfield would be packed with more defensive minded players. This would be a tough match and expect a tough Barcelona victory with a score line of 1-2.