| Extending the unbeaten run |
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| Sunday, 03 February 2008 | |
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Barça take on Osasuna this afternoon (19:00, Barça TV, PPV and Radio Barça) and will be lookig to keep the spirit of the Copa del Rey going as they have the chance to reduce the gap at the top of the table to six points. After nine games in January, the Blaugrana remain unbeaten in 2008 and the visit of Los Rojillos provide the team with a chance to make a good start to February, during which they will maintain the push on three fronts; the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. The first of these is the most complicated at the moment, but after Madrid's defeat on Saturday night against Almería, Barça have a chance to edge closer once again to the league leaders and close the gap from nine to six points and make the title race even more exciting.Frank Rijkaard will be hoping that his team can turn the numerous chances that they create into goals andf to recover the attacking prowess as quickly as possible. FC Barcelona showed against Villarreal the solidity of the side, the confidence and capability to generate chances on goal. Now, all that the team has to do is turn those opportunities into goal. Lionel Messi will be asked to carry on where he left off in midweek, as the Argentinian star caused Villarreal all kinds of problems with his mazy runs into the area. Ronaldinho will also be looking forward tom playing his 200th game for the club after returning from a month out through injury. Then there is Bojan Krkic, who is celebrating his call-up to the full Spain squad and Thierry Henry, who has now begin to score regularly up front. At the back, there are no doubts. The team has the best record in the league and is solid and confident. Strength in depth The news that Carles Puyol will be out of action for three or four weeks after tearing a muscle in his right leg is the only negative note that came out of Barça's cup win in midweek. The club captain will be missed at the back, but the squad has great strength in depth and Rijkaard still has the choice of Gaby Milito, Lilian Thuram, Oleguer and Rafa Márquez to play there. In the squad for the game, the coach named every fit player execpt for Sylvinho. Santi Ezquerro and Albert Jorquera are both out with injuries, while Samuel Eto'o and Touré Yaya are still away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Away day blues Three points against Osasuna are crucial as Bará face trips to Sevilla and Real Zaragoza in the league and then Celtic in the CHampions League, which are three games that will prove whether the team are going to challenge for the major trophies this season. The Pamplona-based visitors will not make things easy, despite arriving at Camp Nou with on eof the worst away records in the top flight. Martin Astudillo is named in the squad for the first time since he joined the club this week, while Igotz Garde is also included. Jaroslav Plasil and Walter Pandiani are back after injury-lay-offs, while Dady and Josetxo are missing through suspension and Javad Nekounam, Enrique Corrales, José Izquierdo, Hugo Viana and Javier Portillo. History is on the side of the hosts in this game as Barcelona have won 22 of the 29 games. |
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