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Match
Marcador del partit
- Date: Wednesday, 13 Aug
- Competition: ???label.competicio1???
- Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona
Resultat:
- FC Barcelona: 4
- Wisla: 0
Match report
Match Report
A step towards the group stage (4-0)
Roger Bogunyà
Barça produced a convincing display to comfortably defeat Wisla in the first official game of the season. Eto’o scored twice and Xavi and Henry both netted one apiece as the Blaugrana took a giant step towards the group stages of the CL.
Pep Guardiola’s debut game in front of Barça’s fans proved to be a tremendous display
with the ball being played around at speed while the movement from the players meant the opposition
were left chasing the game for long periods. While Eto’o celebrated the news that he will be
staying at the club by being named up front, Seydou Keita and Dani Alves made their official debuts
in a starting side that also saw Pedro play down the right flank and Rafa Márquez partner Carles
Puyol in defence.
Pace and pressure
The game started at an incredible pace and rarely dropped as the home team maintained the
pressure with a domineering display and the most surprising aspect at the start of the game was the
fact that it took 18 minutes for the hosts to make the breakthrough. Moments before the first goal
Henry went close when he rose highest in the area to meet a free-kick and only a superb save on the
line from Mariusz Pawełek kept the score level.
Making the breakthrough
When the first goal came it was a stunning moment of swift movement with Márquez being the
instigator when he looked up and delivered a pass from inside his own half to send Eto’o in
behind the Wisla defence and the Cameroonian striker held off his marker to slot the ball past the
approaching keeper.
Second soon after
The pressure did not let up with the Polish outfit being continuously pressed back and they
were fortunate not to go further behind in the 20th minute when Henry shot wide of the post. A
second was not long in coming however, as four minutes later Xavi opted to go it alone as he took
aim from just over 20 yards out and sent a fizzing shot into the bottom corner of the net.
In the closing minutes of the opening half, Xavi could have added his second of the evening
when Eto’o picked him out in the centre of the area but the ball drifted just wide from his
shot with only the keeper to beat.
Henry produces sublime finish
After the interval things did not improve for Wisla with Barcelona coming out and maintaining
their high pressure game and it took just five minutes for a third goal to be added. Eto'o flicked
the ball into the Henry’s path and he in turn nudged it past his marker before flicking it up
and over the approaching Mariusz Pawełek and into the net. It was a sublime moment and showed
that Henry is ready for another impressive season for the club.
Eto’o wraps things up
With Barça firmly in command, the pressure relented slightly and Guardiola was able to
introduce both Gerard Piqué for his return and Aliaksandr Hleb for his debut as a home team player
in Camp Nou. There was still time for a fourth as Barça netted another with eight minutes
remaining. Eto’o owed his second effort to Iniesta after the playmaker weaved his way in from
the right before slotting a pass into the area where the forward slid it inside the near post.
Preview
The week at Camp Nou
In the third week of August, the Camp Nou hosts two games in four days. The first is tonight against Wisla Krakow, a decisive encounter, while the second should be a more relaxed affair as they play in the 43rd edition of the Joan Gamper Trophy against Argentine outfit Boca Juniors. The characteristics of the game may differ, but in both games, Guardiola’s side will be going out to impress the fans and provide some entertaining football.
High risk debut
Roger Bogunyà
Barça face Wisla Krakow tonight (21.45, live on Barça TV, Barça TV Online, TV3 and La Sexta) in their first official game of the season. They have to beat the Poles if they want to join the big names in the Champions League group stages.
105 days after the defeat at Old Trafford and FC Barcelona are back in Europe, this time against
Polish champions Wisla Krakow in the third qualifying round – where the group stages and the
sides that passed directly into that phase await the winners.
It is the first game for
Josep Guardiola and his new-look side at the Camp Nou, and there are potential problems. FC
Barcelona are under pressure against a side that has already come through one round by beating
Beitar Jerusalem and have also already started their Polish league campaign, getting off to a
winning start.
Five potential debutants
There is such a lot at stake, but we could also get the
chance to see as many as five Barça players make their debuts at the Camp Nou, namely Alves, Piqué,
Cáceres, Hleb and Keita, plus former reserves Vázquez, Jeffren, and Busquets, none of which have
ever played in the stadium. All are still potential inclusions, for Guardiola named all of them in
his pre-match selection.
Wisla already started
Although they have only played one league game so far, which they won, Wisla Krakow are more
into the run of things than Barcelona. The Poles have already come through one round of the
Champions League, beating Beitar Jerusalem, which meant their official season started back on July
29. That means Wisla are, in theory, better prepared, for this is Barça’s first official
match of the year after just three weeks of training.
Match Links
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Squad list
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FCB coach: pre-match press conference
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FCB coach: Post-match comments
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FCB players: Post-match comments