Barcelona vs Xerez
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Nou Camp
Past Meetings:
Xerez CD 0-2 FC Barcelona0-1 : Henry 47'
0-2 : Ibrahimovic 90+3'
What took place mid-week never happened.
It is to be forgotten, discarded and unheard of.
This match is a continuation for Barcelona, and being sidetracked by outside fixtures and thoughts would be foolish and catastrophic.
The week ahead will determine the success or failure in which Barcelona shall endure this season, however only the immediate present should be focused on and that immediate present lies within the League, against Xerez.
Barcelona had one chance, last weekend they used up that chance. A 0-0 stalemate at Espanyol has seen the righteously earned 3 point gap at the pinnacle of La Liga sliced to an uncertain 1 point as Real Madrid continue to faultlessly bombard through Spains finest outfits. Set to face 16th placed Real Zaragoza tonight in the La Romareda, Los Blancos are expected to once again take home the chocolates, thus meaning Barcelona cannot afford to slip up, for one mistake could be the deciding factor that costs La Blaugrana the Spanish title.
First vs last. David vs Goliath. The riches vs the rags. Whatever retrospect it is in which you view this match one thing remains the same, that Barcelona has mammoth superiority over their opponents. Not only this, but Barca also maintain a 0% losing record within the Camp Nou in the league, whilst Xerez has won only two of its 16 games played on the road.
Although perhaps all is not set in stone, Spanish sides have a reputation – as apposed from ‘lesser’ sides in England, Italy and other top European leagues – that depicts all sides that reside lower in the table should never be ruled out, for good football exists within each of them. Barcelona have been stunned in the past in similar situations, with one only having to look toward last season in which bottom placed Espanyol downed the table-topping Catalans 2-1 in the Camp Nou. Not only that, but Xerez may have recently nestled into a depleted spot of good form.
This season has been truly catastrophic for the newly promoted Andalusia outfit. It took Xerez two months to conjure up their first win and first goal of the season, seven months to record their first away win and took the same time to win consecutive matches. However the last two months have proved to be the finest for Xerez as they took the highest amount of points from this season within March after having downed Malaga, Villarreal, Tenerife and Valladolid whilst dramatically drawing with Sevilla in the 90th minute. April proved to be another successful month for Nestor Gorosito’s men as they succumbed to only one loss on either side of draws to Sporting and Racing whilst a win against Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon was also present.
This is without a doubt the worst time in which a team could wish to face Xerez, and whilst Barcelona may be leaning toward resting players ahead of their mid-week season-defining clash against Inter, they will also be wary that this is not a fixture to be underestimated.
Team News
Barcelona
Carles Puyol is suspended for his sides upcoming Champions League game and as a result will be able to fill in at right back for the suspended Dani Alves.
Meanwhile Andres Iniesta will remain out due to a torn right thigh muscle.
Fans were shocked this week upon hearing that – following being cleared from a hamstring injury – Eric Abidal was carrying a groin strain and as a result will sit out tonight’s game.
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