BREAKING NEWS: Iniesta out of the Champions League semi-final’s first leg clash against Real Madrid
A few hours ago, in a press conference, Pep Guardiola announced that Andreas Iniesta will not be featuring in the Champions League semifinal’s first leg clash against archrivals, Real Madrid, on Wednesday due to a calf injury.
“Iniesta is 100% out, and hopefully he will be ready for the second leg”, Pep said.
The Spanish midfield maestro has been suffering from a nagging calf injury since the weekend win over Osasuna. He was out of training on Monday and could survive only 10 minutes of Tuesday’s training before he was whisked away for further treatment.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gabriel-Milito-c14321 and Carlos Puyol are both in a race against time to shrug off their injuries.
An official statement on the Catalan website confirmed this news, “Andres Iniesta will miss the semi-finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid. He has some discomfort in the right calf which has not allowed him to train with the group today”.
Iniesta has scored 7 goals this season in the La Liga and produced one solitary goal in the Champions league. He is one of the two maestros in the heart of the Catalan defense and has been instrumental for Barcelona this season, most probably landing the
La Liga title at Camp Nou.
The 2010 Fifa Ballon d’Or runner up has been linking up the play well in the heart of midfield, creating wonderful chances for the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Villa-c10629 to score. His absence will be a large blow for Barcelona.
Pep Guardiola reiterated on Jose Mourinho’s comments and said that although he cannot defeat Mourinho off the pitch (in words), his team will surely display their dominance and knock the Los Blancos out of the Champions League.
But with Iniesta sitting out of the semifinal now and both first choice left backs injured, Pep Guariola will be forced to employ an entirely different strategy.
Will Pique be forced into the midfield and Milito employed at left back with Busquets covering up the center back position or will Pep play with three regular defenders and five players in midfield?
Whatever formation Pep decides to play, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38605 will certainly miss the Spaniard’s brilliance. In Iniesta’s absence, one would wonder who would take his place to partner up with Xavi in the Catalan’s midfield.
For all these questions to be answered, we would have to wait for the clash of the two Spanish giants tonight, 27th April, at Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid.
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