Familiar surroundings: Enrique returns to former side in difficult trip
Barcelona have won all four games but Celta are also in superb form
Enrique has looked to rotate his options up front but may opt to go with his front choice three against Celta. PHOTO: REUTERS
Barcelona travel to Celta Vigo on Wednesday looking to continue their 100% start to La Liga that has seen them go top without quite clicking into gear.
The Catalans’ 4-1 win over Levante on the weekend was the first time this season that they won by a margin of more than one goal, having claimed narrow 1-0 wins over Athletic Bilbao and Malaga followed by an impressive 2-1 victory against fellow title rivals Athletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon.
Luis Suarez was rested over the weekend but is expected to return to the starting eleven with Barcelona manager Luis Enrique trying to keep his players fresh as they compete for six trophies this season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona talisman and the best player in the world Lionel Messi seems to have found his scoring boots again after failing to find the net in the opening two games. The Argentine opened his account with a winner over Athletico last week and followed it up with a brace over Levante. However, his form from the penalty spot continues to be a worry as he has now missed two and scored one of the three penalties he has taken this season.
Enrique returns to his former club knowing full well that they are a side in form, currently sitting in fourth with 10 points from a possible 12. Having scored 10 goals so far, second only to Real Madrid in the division, the treble-winning manager is aware that his side need to be at their best at the back if they are to keep Celta at bay. “If you want to enjoy yourself, you should watch their games,” Enrique said over the weekend regarding the attacking prowess and smooth football played by his former side.
It will therefore come as no surprise if the 45-year-old opts to play his famous South American trident of Suarez, Messi and Neymar up front to fight fire with fire.
Real travel to Bilbao
Rafael Benitez’s side travel to Athletic Bilbao knowing that nothing less than a win would do as they already trail arch-rivals Barcelona by two points.
With injuries to his main creative players, Benitez will be hoping Ronaldo can once again be in inspired form after the Portuguese continued his hot and cold start to the season. The 30-year-old currently leads the scoring charts with five in four games but all of them came in one game and he has looked woefully out of touch in the other three.
It was all the more apparent in Real’s 1-0 win over Granada — the side against which Ronaldo scored five earlier in the year — as the Portugal skipper missed several chances, with Los Blancos needing a Karim Benzema goal to bail them out.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2015.
The Catalans’ 4-1 win over Levante on the weekend was the first time this season that they won by a margin of more than one goal, having claimed narrow 1-0 wins over Athletic Bilbao and Malaga followed by an impressive 2-1 victory against fellow title rivals Athletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon.
Luis Suarez was rested over the weekend but is expected to return to the starting eleven with Barcelona manager Luis Enrique trying to keep his players fresh as they compete for six trophies this season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona talisman and the best player in the world Lionel Messi seems to have found his scoring boots again after failing to find the net in the opening two games. The Argentine opened his account with a winner over Athletico last week and followed it up with a brace over Levante. However, his form from the penalty spot continues to be a worry as he has now missed two and scored one of the three penalties he has taken this season.
Enrique returns to his former club knowing full well that they are a side in form, currently sitting in fourth with 10 points from a possible 12. Having scored 10 goals so far, second only to Real Madrid in the division, the treble-winning manager is aware that his side need to be at their best at the back if they are to keep Celta at bay. “If you want to enjoy yourself, you should watch their games,” Enrique said over the weekend regarding the attacking prowess and smooth football played by his former side.
It will therefore come as no surprise if the 45-year-old opts to play his famous South American trident of Suarez, Messi and Neymar up front to fight fire with fire.
Real travel to Bilbao
Rafael Benitez’s side travel to Athletic Bilbao knowing that nothing less than a win would do as they already trail arch-rivals Barcelona by two points.
With injuries to his main creative players, Benitez will be hoping Ronaldo can once again be in inspired form after the Portuguese continued his hot and cold start to the season. The 30-year-old currently leads the scoring charts with five in four games but all of them came in one game and he has looked woefully out of touch in the other three.
It was all the more apparent in Real’s 1-0 win over Granada — the side against which Ronaldo scored five earlier in the year — as the Portugal skipper missed several chances, with Los Blancos needing a Karim Benzema goal to bail them out.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2015.