Sporting Gijon vs. Barcelona – Half Time Report
Sporting Gijon hosted Barcelona at Municipal El Molinon.
The Catalan Giants were to face a tricky opposition away from home. While http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 are currently sixth in La Liga, Sporting are still at the bottom of the table with only a draw.
Sporting Gijon’s manager http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Manolo-c23349 Preciado had to play the strongest side available to him. He decided to play a 4-3-3 formation but the strategy totally revolved around counter attacking football.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ivan-c17215 Hernandez, Botia and Lora featured as the four defenders for Sporting.
The three man midfield consisted of De Las Cuevas, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Castro-c8590. Cases played in the holding midfield position while the other two played as central midfielders.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Barral-c10428 and Trejo featured as the three strikers for Sporting Gijon. All three of them kept on switching their positions in order to change the cause of the game.
Barcelona played a 3-5-2 formation. Josep Guardiola had a few players unavailable and he still decided to rest his first team centre backs http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Carles-Puyol-c8331.
Victor Valdes featured as the shot stopper. The Catalan goalkeeper had three defenders to aid him at the back.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Javier-Mascherano-c18071, Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves featured in the defensive role.
The five man midfield consisted of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ibrahim-Afellay-c16547 couldn’t feature in this fixture due to their respective injuries.
Lionel Messi and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 often fell deep in order to collect the ball in the midfield.
Barcelona only managed to take a goal’s lead in the first half of the game. It was Adriano who scored the only goal in the first half.
It was during the twelfth minute when Barcelona scored the first goal of the game. The Catalans were dominating in possession but Sporting were sitting back and defending well. However, a rattling shot taken by Xavi Hernandez struck the goal post and found
Adriano on the rebound. The Brazilian man volleyed the ball to the back of the net with a little deflection for the Sporting defender.
With Barcelona taking the lead, Sporting tried to pressurize the Spanish Champions in 18 yard box. Victor Valdes often found himself being in trouble and under pressure by Barral and Trejo; however, the Barcelona goalkeeper made sure that nothing gets past
him.
During the 27th minute, Miguel de las Cuevas seemed to be alone in front of goal. However, an extraordinary tackle from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniel-c9879 Alves denied Sporting the opportunity on goal.
Lionel Messi was taken down inside the penalty area but referee waved play on. The Argentinean dribbled past two Sporting Gijon defenders but still failed to score as he was taken down by the Sporting defenders.
Barcelona took the lead early in the first half and that gives them the advantage in the second. Josep Guardiola might want to substitute a midfielder for Puyol or Pique. That will help the team in become stronger at the back. However, currently the Spanish
Champions, despite leading the game, they are not in total control.
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