Malaga vs Barcelona | Copa del Rey | 24/01/13

Time: 22:00 CET, 21:00 GMT, 16:00 EST
Venue: La Rosaleda
Capacity: 29,500

Referees:
Primary Ref: ANTONIO MIGUEL MATEU LAHOZ
4th Ref: FRANCISCO JAVIER BARBERÁ FUENTES
Linesman: PAU CEBRIÁN DEVÍS
Linesman: JON NÚÑEZ FERNÁNDEZ

Called up players:Valdés, Pinto; Alves, Piqué, Cesc, Puyol, Xavi, Villa, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Sergio, Pedro, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Alex Song y Tello.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

i wouldnt be, the only team in the top 10 with a worse home record its betis who are beasting away matches and making up for it.

i hope for an exciting match though, but barca have much more to lose so i think you guys come away with a convincing victory.

I would actually be ok with getting knocked out right now. Yes, with the league getting more and more out of reach for our rivals, we have a chance to go for the treble again which is something very precious.

At the same time, I personally, directly blame fatigue last season to our players playing deep in multiple cups towards the end of the campain. We looked tired, and we got tired at the most horrible time (yes, the week we played Chelsea-Real-Chelsea). I'd rather get knocked out now, and we get to stay fresh and let Real Madrid get far and get tired at the time of the semi's while we stay fresh with the a comfortable lead in the league.

On the other hand, with the league with such a huge advantage..we could go balls out in the CDR and UCL and max it out in the league. A luxury we did not have last year. we were having to play hard as shit in every single match no matter what cup.

So, either or I'll be ok with a win/loss result.

So many people have doubts about this, why? we've only lost 2 games this whole season lets be a bit more positive.

Tough match after a couple of less than stellar performances...Add rain & a crap pitch along with La Liga refereeing - equals trouble

Donuts we are currently behind in the tie,we don't have to get beat tonight to go out.0 - 0 or 1 - 1 and we are out.

Really looking forward to this one,should be a great game like the last two and it is perfectly balanced.I don't understand people who are not bothered if we go out tonight,we have more or less wrapped up the league we should rest players in that instead as the season goes on.

Tonight we should look to keep possession as much as possible,Malaga are really dynamic on the ball and they can mobilize their bouts of possession into chances so we should look to frustrate them by not letting them have the ball even more than usual,it's super possession time folks.We must pressurize high up tonight with Iniesta out wide and Fabregas in the middle,we will have 4 or 5 men drifting into midfield to dominate possession as well as we normally do against teams inferior to Malaga if we play like this.

We can do it.We will do it.

I am aware we are behind but I want more confidence from the fans, just because we lost our second match of the season last game doesn't mean we'll do bad, were Barcelona we win 98% of our matches so lets not be worried

Tito won't be there but this is a big early test in his tenure, how they respond in the 2nd final of the season (First being the loss in the Supercup)

Pinto - Alves - Masche - Pique - Alba- Busques- Xavi- Cesc - Iniesta - Messi - Pedro

A starting line up. I expected some more rotation players because IMO the cup you have to do that even if it means a knockout. But anyway, let's go!

watch the team getting serious... I'm possitive for this game

I see us bringing on Villa if we get desperate which he should of started in my opinion but eh.

free_cat wrote:Pinto - Alves - Masche - Pique - Alba- Busques- Xavi- Cesc - Iniesta - Messi - Pedro

A starting line up. I expected some more rotation players because IMO the cup you have to do that even if it means a knockout. But anyway, let's go!

Tito listening to worms,if we win credit goes to me.If not then forget you read this.

Props to Malaga for playing an attacking game. This is football.

We are forgiving them.Messi with two one on ones missed.

the game keeps stopping every 3 or so minutes with fouls, rather annoying
Iniesta hit the pole unlucky.

free_cat wrote:Props to Malaga for playing an attacking game. This is football.

I agree. Loving it so far. Too much heat in the pitch though, I think we'll have at least a red card tonight.

Perhaps it should have been 0-0 seeing Dani Alves was in an offside position and Málaga's goal came from a handball that was not called.

Ish, we are forgiving them.

The game is perfect for Tello or Villa to come in: Malaga is leaving lots of space in behind. Iniesta in the wing... meh.

Xavi is not up to this game, Iniesta with his constant slipping neither, so I would sub one of them for Tello or Villa.

danyjr wrote:

free_cat wrote:Props to Malaga for playing an attacking game. This is football.

I agree. Loving it so far. Too much heat in the pitch though, I think we'll have at least a red card tonight.

Perhaps it should have been 0-0 seeing Dani Alves was in an offside position and Málaga's goal came from a handball that was not called.

But Barça is boring, they pass you to death, their game is frustrating, etc. etc. etc.

People just doesn't understand football.... or simply hates/envies us.

Barca are quite honestly not playing well. There's no patience to our game. Xavi in particular has left a lot to be desired in this first half.

free_cat wrote:Xavi is not up to this game.

I was gonna say, I think he's lost pace this season. Not just on the feet but also in the brain. He is 32, understandably so.

I disagree that we are not playing well. We should be winning this. Iniesta 1, and Messi 2 one on ones missed. Good game.

Only player who is not really up to his standards is Xavi IMO, and he gave the pass to Alves...

Wonder what the possession stats are for the first half? They are pressing us like crazy while keeping decent possession and creating a few chances,it's refreshing to see a team play us at our own game.

danyjr wrote:

free_cat wrote:Xavi is not up to this game.

I was gonna say, I think he's lost pace this season. Not just on the feet but also in the brain. He is 32, understandably so.

His brain will never slow down.Maybe he is just a bit tired from bossing nearly every game since the start of the season,it's only the past few weeks he hasn't been at his best.

Iniesta did well for the assist from the wing to be honest it has it's advantages