2023-09-19 09:44:53
The top European competition reaches televisions and fans’ seats for another year. FC Barcelona debuts in this season’s Champions League against Royal Antwerp FCBelgian champion, in a Group H where they are accompanied by FC Porto and FK Shakhtar Donetsk from Ukraine. The culés begin their journey next Tuesday, September 19 at 9:00 p.m. at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium after winning 5-0 in LaLiga EA Sports al Real Betis Balompié, with a great collective performance by the entire team.
Qualification for the UEFA round of 16 Champions League It is today a matter of state in the culé team, Because the Blaugrana have accumulated two consecutive seasons without entering the knockout phases of the highest European competitionto dispute the Europa League after two poor performances in the group stage. In this season, with a more affordable group a priori, It is a capital objective for Xavi Hernández’s men, who seek to heal their wounds and compete again for the prestigious trophy.
A template to counteract the immaturity of previous years
Ilkay Gundogan in his presentation | FC Barcelona
Last season, Barça justified its elimination from the Champions League with the immaturity that the team still presented. This summer, the Blaugrana leadership has put together a squad with new faces and maturity in the competition, like that of Ilkay Gundogan, current Champions League champion with Manchester City and one of the best midfielders in the world. In addition to this, jPlayers like Joao Cancelo or Joao Félix bring fresh air and quality to the clubin need of footballers of this caliber in recent years.
The Blaugrana club lands in the game after destroying Betis in Manuel Pellegrini, one of the most attractive teams in LaLiga. The culés showed a high level and signs of what they can become with a massive five-goal victory in front of their home crowd at the Lluís Companys. The debutants as starters, Joao Felix y João Cancelo, They were part of the scorers of the night along with Ferran Torres, Lewandowski and the Brazilian Raphinha. Xavi’s intelligent decision to give the young man a rest Lamine Yamal, only 16 years old, to be able to rotate in the squad. With Xavi, no starting position is guaranteed.
Barça will not be able to count, a priori, neither with Ronald Araújo nor with Pedri, both injured and in the process of recovery. However, the Uruguayan has already been part of the collective training two days in a row, and everything indicates that he will be available for the next EA SPORTS LaLiga game against Celta de Vigo.
He Royal Antwerp, sweet on arrival at the European debut
Alderweireld in the goal that won a League for Antwerp | FC Royal Antwerp
The gift of UEFA Champions League He happily joined Royal Antwerp FC last season. A frenetic last minute goal from Toby Alderweireld, old acquaintance in the Spanish League, in the final match of the league competition in Belgium, gave the Antwerp team the league title 66 years later of their last proclamation as national champions. Now, the Belgians see the Champions League as the perfect reward for a frenetic and incredible season.
The Belgians have started the season very well in their league. They arrive at Montjuic with a streak of two draws and four wins, the last a 3-0 win over Westerlo away from home. They managed to qualify for the Champions League after winning in the previous phase of the AEK de Atenas with an aggregate of 3-1. Barça will also have to be attentive to the forward Vincent Janssen, with five goals of the 13 that the Belgian team has achieved in the League.
The team will be able to count on the entire squad for its first commitment in the Champions League of the current season. The only doubt, the presence of their central defender Björn Engels, with a hamstring injury. The decision will fall to Mark van Bommel, coach of the Belgian team and former FC Barcelona footballer.
Xavi: “I see excitement in the players’ faces”
Xavi in training before facing Betis | FC Barcelona
This morning at Sports City of Barça the Blaugrana coach, Xavi Hernandez, gave the media the respective press conference prior to the match against Royal Antwerp FC in the UEFA Champions League: “It is an illusion to be in this competition again, It is time to take a step forward and believe in it again to become great in Europe again. It is the competition that will give us the step forward to be competitive. We want to continue Saturday’s game. We face it with great enthusiasm“, the Spanish coach began by expressing, with great hopes for the team for the current campaign in Europe.
“The goal right now is to get through the group. Later, we’ll see, but now, move on to the group. Last year we were good in the game, but the results were not with us. Tomorrow the competition starts and the goal is to reach the round of 16,” he said after two disastrous seasons for the club in the Champions League.
Now, Xavi has a much better-made squad, with mature, high-caliber and high-level players. Despite the significant casualties that have occurred, the club seems to have found the key and the level offered by the Catalans in the last match could be the prelude to an improved proposal from the Terrassa coach.
Match refereeing
The person in charge of refereeing the Blaugrana’s first match in the Champions League will be the Romanian Radu Petrescu40 years old. The Romanian Catalin Copa will be on the VAR.
Calls for the match
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Iñaki Peña, Astralaga, João Cancelo, Iñigo Martinez, Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, Alejandro Balde, Marcos Alonso, De Jong, Gündogan, Gavi, Oriol Romeu, Sergi Roberto, Fermin Lopez, Casadó, Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, Raphinha, Lamine Yamal
Royal Antwerp FC: Call to confirm
Possible starting lineups
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Cancelo, Koundé, Christensen, Balde, Romeu, De Jong, Gavi, Joao Felix, Ferrán and Lewandowski.
Royal Antwerp FC: Butez, Van Den Bosch, T. Alderweireld, Samuel Vines, J. Bataille, Mandela Keita, A. Yusuf, J. Ondrejka, Michel Balikwisha, Arbnor Muja y V. Janssen.
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