BARÇA WILL MEASURE BETIS AND ATHLETIC
Two 'finals' in 4 days that will mark Barça's season and Xavi's future
Published:20/01/2024 - 14:53h
Updated:20/01/2024 - 16:55h
In less than four days, FC Barcelona will face a pair of duels against Betis and Athletic Club, with the possibility of losing its chance to advance in the Copa del Rey and moving away in the race for LaLiga. Or, on the contrary, take a necessary emotional 'high' if you manage to add victories
The FC Barcelona is not going through his best sportive moment in this campaign, this is a fact known by all. Nevertheless, the Barcelona club begins to show signs of reaction after surpassing what considered the first 'proof of fire' after the fuss in the Supercopa of Spain against the Real Madrid in Riad (4-1). The duel against the Unionistas of Salamanca resolved with a conclusive 1-3 in the marker, but left some doubts in the development of the commitment.
From this point, the combined culé will confront to two big challenges in less than 75 hours: the clash of LaLiga in the Stadium Benito Villamarín against the Real Betis (21/01) and the crossing of the Glass of the King in Saint Mamés against the Athletic Club (24/01). These meetings are crucial, no only by the 'subidón' anímico that would represent to obtain positive results against two teams of high level, but also because the victory is crucial to keep in the career in both competitions, especially against the Athletic Club, taking into account that the Glass plays to only party.
The culés will look for to break the invicto 'bético' in the Villamarín
The first challenge will be to measure against the square 'verdiblanca', a group that can seem alentador if it considers that the Barcelona had one of his best performances of what goes of season in the commitment of gone against them, where them propinaron a conclusive 'manita' (5-0) in the Montjuïc. Nevertheless, the cast of Manuel Pellegrini has showed to be very strong home, since of the 31 points that at present have, 22 have achieved them in his stadium, with six victories and four ties, without any defeat.
On the other hand, the Barça has had a positive series in his last clashes in the feudo bético, adding six consecutive victories and 10 parties followed without knowing the defeat. However, will have the difficult task to break the series invicta of the Andalusians in his own stadium in this season. In addition to looking for a necessary sportive claim, a victory also would allow them keep in the fight by the leadership of LaLiga, since at present they find to eight points of the leader (Girona) with a more contested party, and to seven points of the second place (Real Madrid), while they litigate by the third place with the Basque cast, although empatados in points, but with a less contested party.
The visit to Saint Mamés in Glass, a complex challenge for the Barça
The clash against the AthleticClub , that will carry out next Wednesday, represents a margin of manoeuvre much narrower, since a defeat in Saint Mamés would mean the immediate elimination of the Glass of Rey, being the second title that escapes them to the team of Xavi Hernández in this period and, in concrete, in this month.
The ones of Ernesto Valverde have showed to be a hard rival for the FC Barcelona, especially in the context of the Glass of Rey. In his two last visits to Saint Mamés, the Barça has not had good experiences, since the Basque picture has attained to impose and delete to the Catalan club of the competition. Therefore, the culés have the additional mission to improve his record in the Glass against the 'Lions'.
In addition to these antecedents, the square of the City Condal also will have to lidiar with the good moment so that it crosses the Athletic Club. The 'rojiblancos' accumulate 14 consecutive parties without losing, winning his last six meetings. However, the positive for the Barcelona is that, casually, the last defeat of the Basques was precisely against them, in the split suspender belt that marked the surgimiento goleador of Marc Guiu.
The Barcelona will have to lidiar with a big physical wear
Definitely, the FC Barcelona also will have to lidiar with another important challenge: the physical exhaustion. The combined Catalan has an unusually short staff because of the injuries and has had to trust more in the young players of the quarry of the usual. Will have two parties that expects are of frantic rhythm, by what Xavi Hernández will have to evaluate carefully how administer the load of work to avoid that the team arrive physically extenuado. Therefore, the technician egarense will have to consider the possibility to make rotations or risk to that the team reach his physical limit after these challenging meetings.
