FC Barcelona vs Dynamo Kiev Preview

FC Barcelona will be looking to register their first victory in this season's Champions League tonight when they face Dynamo Kiev at the Camp Nou. At the Guardiola described how important is this game and a failure to win will put em\normous pressure on the Barcelona side, especially we have to play at Ukraine and Russia in the onset of winter. Visiting those places at that time is not easy. Thierry Henry has been excluded from tonight's squad. He will be sidelined for six to seven days with a hamstring problem. Bojan is already out with injury and there is a small possibility that Ibrahmovic also may miss with the ankle injury. But that does not look like going to happen. One fact is for sure and that is Iniesta is going to get his first start of the season. The squad selected for this match is Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Abidal, Maxwell, Puyol, Piqué, Márquez, Touré, Xavi, Keita, Iniesta, Busquets, Messi, Pedro, Ibrahimovic, Jeffren and Gai. Barca players have to get over the bruises suffered at Malaga and play fiercfully as they can expect Kiev to follow the same strategy. But they may not be that successful if our players uses the width of Camp Nou.

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Solving the Argenitinian Qualification Puzzle

Will Argentina qualify for 2010 world cup? This seems to be the question in everyones mind nowadays. If you have asked me this before the Argentina- Brazil match, I would have definitely said a Yes; but now even I am doubtful. Argentina has been my favourite natioonal team for years. Mr.Mardona has been the major reason for that fixation and it is sad to see Argentina struggling to qualify under him. The old saying "Good Players, don't Make Good Coaches" looks like becoming true in Maradona's case. Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has been the subject of many attacks by Argentinian fans in recent times. They can't understand how he play so great with Barcelona and looks out of sort in the Argentinian Jersey. Messi has been trying hard to defend himself and he do have a point - football is essentially a team sport. Until the team clicks he can't do anything. There are rumours that Maradona is so unhappy with him and is not in talking terms. Messi is not alone in this kind of mess. Christiano Rinaldo, his rival find himself in a much worse situation in Portugal's qualifying campaign. But then Portugal's non-qualification will not be same as Argentina's. At times I feel that it would have done them a world of good if they have gone against Brazil and Paraguay looking for a draw. But then this is Argentina and you can't even think like that.Anyways the equation is pretty simple for Albicelestes', win the next two matches and easily qualify.

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Racing Santander (1) vs Barca (4) Highlight

Rampant Barca at Santander; Racing - 1, Barca -4

FC Barcelona continued their excellent run in the league with a 4-1 demolition of Racing Santander at El Sardinero stadium. Two goals from Messi and one each from Ibrahmovic and Pique was enough to see Barca comfortably past Racing. Like the weekend it was a sensational first half display which put Barca in command. Now Barca has moved three points clear and the pressure will be surely on Madrid to respond against Villareal. Ibrahmovic scored his fourth goal in the league from that many matches. It was by far the best performance by the Swedish superstar and incidently it was also the best performance by Barca till now. Messi is keeping on improving and is surprising everyone with each match. I expected Guardiola to rest Messi for this match but that wasn't to be happened. Guardiola brought in Puyol and Abidal in the defense. Thus Alves, Pique, Puyol and Abidal formed the defense. The midfield was made up of Xavi, Kieta and Busquets. Messi, Ibrahmociv and Henry formed the forward line-up. Keita has been a vast improvement to the last season and now looks like an attacking option in the midfield.

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Racing Santander - Barca Preview

Ok, there are some serious good news - not like all the news till now was bad. But this one sounds so good - Milito is back in training. There is no date set for his return but still it is good to hear that we may be able to count on his service maybe in the latter part of the season. And that is a very good news to the build up of the Racing clash. There are reports that Pep may be tempted to rest Messi at the El Sardinero, but most probably he would only start him from the bench. Last season also Messi started on the bench here and came on to help Barca win that encounter. It is also not clear whether Iniesta will get a much awaited start; Pep seems to be in no hurry to rush "San Andres" and there is a high chance he will again see action only after the break. Pep Guardiola has announced a 19 man squad for the visit to Santander - Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Marquez, Chygrynskiy, Maxwell, Abidal, Busquets, Toure Yaya, Xavi, Keita, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Jeffren. Pep will be looking to rest his major players tonight because of the tight schedule ahead of them. Puyol, Abidal and Toure who were rested in the last match is definite to get their start, meanwhile Pique is destined to get a well deserved rest.

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