FC Barcelona overcome FC Porto’s challenge without defensive stalwarts – La Liga Special
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Barcelona-c39078 overcame the challenge put forward by reigning Europa League and Portuguese league champions in the UEFA Super Cup. The Champions League winners went away with the prize for the fourth time in their history as they shackled the Dragons attack
despite being without the service of Carles Puyol and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gerard-c14664 Pique.
The Catalan side has experienced a shortage of players in central defence and the problem has been amplified after the departure of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gabriel-Milito-c14321. As the Argentinean international makes his way out of Camp Nou, his injury woes look to have been inherited
by club captain http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Carles-Puyol-c8331. The defensive stalwart missed the better part of La Liga action with knee injury last term. Over the summers, he has had the troublesome area operated and is far from active duty.
Carles Puyol has been followed to the treatment room by partner in mischief, Gerard Pique. The Catalans reunite in treatment room after Pique was injured on the training ground. It has been reported that the Spanish international is experiencing pain in
his left leg. Upon proper appraisal of his condition, he has been ruled unfit for upcoming matches and will not be taking part in any first team activities for the next three weeks.
Due to the injury of first choice defensive pairing, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Adriano-c3773 was asked to take the Frenchman’s
place, while http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dani-Alves-c9869 continued as the right-back. This defensive makeup was a repeat of Spanish Super Cup first leg at Santiago Bernabéu.
The makeshift defence did well as they managed to keep the attacking talents of Porto at bay. Kleber, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seydou-Keita-c33177 is not forgotten as he protected the
backline brilliantly and did not give the oncoming attackers any room.
With http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Freddy-c14144 Guarin. Mistake by
the Colombian gave the pint sized attacker his first ever goal the tournament, a feat that has eluded him for some time.
After scoring the goal, Messi switched roles from scorer to provider as he played Cesc Fabregas in with a delightful chipped pass. the former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 skipper exhibited supreme ball control by volleying it home before chesting it down. It was a good combination
between the talisman and the returning young boy, who partnered to devastating efficiency.
Manager Pep Guardiola would have been happy following the match as he held his twelfth trophy, overtaking Johan Cruyff’s club record. The victory over Porto gives Guardiola’s team the perfect start to the upcoming season, after notching the Spanish Super
Cup against Real Madrid earlier in the week.
Pique and Puyol will miss the start of La Liga campaign and Barcelona will have to do without them. Los Cules have pleaded for depth in defensive ranks, however, Guardiola is adamant there is no need. With make shift defences holding one of the best attacking
line-ups in Europe to a standstill, this will be way down in the manager’s priorities list.
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